


Lost and Found

by LynFraser09



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-20
Updated: 2016-11-16
Packaged: 2017-11-21 16:28:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 59,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/599804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LynFraser09/pseuds/LynFraser09
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma is sent on a search to find Gold's son and finds much more than she bargained for. Now a Season 2 AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Emma sighed for probably the billionth time since she left Maine. She couldn't believe she had actually agreed to do this, not that she had any choice in the matter and it could have been worse but she still would prefer not to be there.

She strolled the busy streets of New York City with a frown. It wasn't that she didn't like New York City or cities in general, it was where she had spent a lot of time after all. Tallahassee was the one place she had stayed the longest, followed then by Boston and then Storybrooke. And she had spent a few months in New York and loved it, always wanting to return but never getting there.

The fact of the matter was she was on some ridiculous errand by Mr. Gold in search of his long lost son. She didn't know how she expected to find him and she explained that to Gold and that was when he gave her a ball. A battered, old, brown ball and then poured some magical powder over it. He explained that this would lead her straight to him wherever he was.

Her parents and Henry were more than opposed to her leaving the town on a wild goose chase but Emma had made a deal and she was not one to break out of her word and even then she still held true to the idea that saving Alexandra was worth anything Gold could throw at her and that included going to possibly the ends of the earth to find Gold's son.

She was relieved enough when the ball led her straight into New York City and so there she was, walking down the streets with this ball in her hands, vibrating stronger and stronger with each step she took.

"Woah!" The ball almost flew out of her hands as she walked in front of a small cafe and then started to glow as she faced the door.

She still didn't know much about magic but she would say that was a clue that who she was looking for was right through those doors. She was honestly surprised that it didn't take as long as she thought but she was always good at finding people.

As she pushed open the door and stepped inside she wondered what Gold's son would even look like or how old he'd be as Gold said he hadn't a clue since time was different. Gold gave her a sketch of when he was a boy but if he had grown to be a middle-aged man that wouldn't do much good.

The small cafe was surprisingly crowded, people at every table and booth, even people standing around drinking coffee and chatting. She pursed her lips and scanned the crowd looking for anyone that could resemble Gold's son.

The ball continued to shake in her hands, both she and it knew whoever he was was most certainly in here.

She relied on the ball, turning ever so slightly to the right or left then taking a few steps around people, feeling it vibrate faster or slower depending on where she stepped.

Then, as a couple moved out of her way, she spotted a lone man sitting in one of the booths near the window and her heart nearly stopped.

He was older, ten years older, and more sophisticated, dressed in an actual suit and tie but there was no denying the familiarity of his face. She knew the image of him would be burned into her memory forever especially now because of Henry.

But it had to be a mere coincidence that he was there. There was no way that he could be the man she was searching for.

She started to turn away, determined to not let him see her and move on to find the man she came here for but as she did the ball shook in protest and started to pull her back towards him.

Her eyes widened as she realized the impossible truth. He was the man she was searching for...and she would have to face him.

She let out a breath and tightened her jaw. She could do that, she had faced worse. She had faced a dragon, an ogre and a giant, surely she could handle him.

She swallowed hard, gave herself an encouraging nod, slipped the ball into her bag and for the first time in ten years, approached Neal Cassidy.


	2. Chapter 2

It felt like the slowest few seconds of Emma's life as she walked toward that table. Never in her life did she ever expect to run into Neal Cassidy again. In fact, she planned to avoid him if possible. She had lied to Henry because she didn't want the boy searching out his father as he had searched out her, as selfish as that may be. She figured Henry thinking his father was some saint was better than the truth. Henry had enough problems in his life, he didn't need his deadbeat father around just to get hurt like she had.

Neal Cassidy was not good news and as far as she was concerned she was only here to do what Gold had asked.

Her heart was pounding in her chest as she neared the table and she could feel the ball in her bag vibrating against her side. She paused near the edge of the table and stared down at him.

Standing this close to him, a swarm of all different feelings hit her like a truck. She hadn't seen him in ten years but he was just as handsome as she remembered. Even though his lips were set in a frown as he stared distantly down at his cup of coffee she could picture his winning smile and how it caused her heart to flutter. Then she remembered the feeling of utter betrayal when she got caught and Neal was nowhere to be found. She remembered the anger and hate she had toward him as she sat for eleven months in prison for a crime she did not commit. She remembered the complete terror that overtook her as she stared down at the positive pregnancy test. She remembered the wall that built up around her heart because of him and how after him, she never fell in love again, resulting in only one night stands or short flings.

The man sitting before her had changed her life forever, had shaped her to become the cold, untrusting woman she was today. It was only their son who had put a crack in the wall but even now she felt that wall building up again, with Henry safe inside it, to protect both her and him from Neal.

With a stony expression firmly on her face she finally willed the courage to get his attention and she cleared her throat loudly.

Neal's shoulder visibly deflated and his palm flattened against the table as he rolled his eyes. "Look, I already told you, I'm not-" His eyes turned upward and he froze, his eyes widening at seeing who was standing there. His mouth fell open in a gape as he blinked, his eyes scanning her face as if he was making sure she was really there.

Emma lightly curled her fists, her fingernails digging into her palms as she bit back some nasty comment. Neal's stare on her made more than uncomfortable and she wanted nothing more than to just turn around and leave.

"Emma?" He breathed in a shocked whisper.

She pressed her lips together. "Hello Neal." She greeted coldly.

He let out a breath of surprise and his lips twitched into an almost smile and she felt her stomach tie into knots. How could he possibly be happy to see her? What right did he have abandoning her and leaving without a trace for ten years and then be happy to see her?

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

Emma sighed heavily and crossed her arms. "I came here looking for someone."

Neal lifted his brow in surprise and Emma rolled her eyes. "Don't get excited, Neal. It's not you. Or at least, I didn't know it was you."

Neal frowned and shook his head. "I don't understand."

Emma groaned and slid into the seat across from him staring at him icily. "I don't know if this is some weird coincidence or if you really are the man I'm looking for."

Neal sat back in his seat and eyed her carefully. "Look, Emma, I don't know what you've been told but I've straightened out my life. I have a job, my own apartment-"

She cut him off with a quick shake of her head. "I don't care what you've done with your life, Neal. I really don't."

Neal pursed his lips and crossed his arms lightly over the table. "Then why are you here, Emma? I mean, not that it isn't good to see you-"

"Please stop." She glared at him in exasperation.

Neal frowned and let out a soft sigh. "Emma, I know what you think I did..."

"What I think you did?" She hissed, narrowing her eyes as she leaned across the table. "What I know you did is abandon me and let me take the jail time for a crime you committed."

Neal winced and nodded slightly before sighing. "It's more complicated than that."

She huffed and shook her head. "No, it's really not Neal. And I get it, okay? You're a thief, that's what thieves do. I just thought I meant more to you than that."

"You did." Neal insisted and Emma held up her hand.

"I didn't come here to discuss what happened in our past and nor do I have any interest in discussing it further."

Emma kept her steady, cold gaze on him making sure he knew she meant business. A few long seconds of silence fell over them as they stared at each other. Emma wasn't sure how much longer she could take Neal's chocolate brown eyes staring back at her, they were identical to Henry's and she knew now why she could never say no to her son when he looked at her like that. But she refused to give into Neal that easily. She was here for one reason and one reason alone.

Emma broke the silence with a loud sigh and rested her arms on the table. "Look, I know your name isn't really Neal Cassidy."

Neal furrowed his brow and cocked his head, confusion and surprise written in his eyes. "What do you mean?"

Emma rolled her eyes and shot him a look of exasperation. "I'm not going to play games with you Neal."

"I'm not playing games, Emma. I honestly have no idea what you're talking about. My name has always been Neal."

For a moment she almost believed that she had the wrong person that Gold's son was actually somewhere else in this cafe or somehow the magical ball had led her to the wrong place. But she had to know for sure.

Never breaking eye contact with him she said. "Your name is Baelfire."

In just a matter of a second, Neal's body visibly tensed, his face dropped and his eyes clouded over with a darkness she'd never seen before, at least not in him. His fingers gripped the table and he swallowed thickly, his face growing pale. "Where did you hear that name?" He whispered, his voice full of fear and anger.

She lifted her brow, finding his reaction curious. "Am I wrong?"

Neal clenched his jaw and stared at her silently, not trusting his voice.

Emma pressed her lips together and repressed a sigh. She turned to the bag still around her shoulders and flipped it open, removing the ball and placing it on the table. The ball shook violently and then rolled across the table to Neal, stopping once it was right in front of him.

Neal felt the breath leave his lungs as he watched the ball roll across the table towards him. It was something, though try as he may, he'd never forget. It was something his papa had made him from his own bare hands, something he had hours and hours of fun playing with. His hands shook as he reached out for it and it glowed just for a second as his hands touched it.

"You really are Gold's son." Emma's voice was filled with wonder and shock and he lifted his eyes to her and blinked.

He bit down softly on his lip and pushed the ball back across the table toward her. "I don't know who this 'Gold' is but I doubt I'm his son. My father is dead."

Emma raised her brow, eyeing him skeptically. "Your name is not Baelfire?"

Neal shifted his jaw and cleared his throat. "No."

Emma pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyes. She didn't quite believe him, his reaction to the name and to the ball was too suspicious and something she had learned over the last few weeks was that magic didn't lie. Still, she wouldn't push him and the less time she had to spend with him the better.

"Alright." She took the ball and placed it back into her bag and slid out of the booth. "Then I think we're done here. Goodbye Neal." She turned and took a few steps when she heard a loud sigh and then he called out to her.

"Wait!" His voice sounded pained and as she turned around she could see the look of hesitance in his eyes and with that look she knew the truth. Gold hadn't told her the whole story but judging by the look on Neal's face she knew it couldn't be a happy one.

"My name is not Baelfire," He sighed, "But it used to be."

Emma nodded to herself and walked back over to the table, slipping off the bag and pushing it into the corner of the booth before sliding in beside it and resting her arms over the table waiting for him to talk.

Neal sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his hair. "I have pretty much repressed any memories of being him. As far as I'm concerned, I'm not him. But you're looking for him, for whatever reason so," He shrugged, a frown still plastered on his lips, "Here I am."

"I was sent here to find you." She admitted. "To find Baelfire."

"Sent by who?" He wondered, though already fearing the answer.

"Mr. Gold, ah..." She paused, realizing that no one outside of Storybrooke would know him by that name, "Rumplestiltskin."

The name sent a darkness over Neal's face and his eyes narrowed as he sat back in his seat.

"He's your father." Emma said, neither asking nor telling him and Neal rolled his eyes.

"What does he want?" Neal muttered, clearly avoiding acknowledging the statement.

"He wants you." Emma answered.

"Oh does he?" Neal remarked sarcastically and there was no denying the anger, the hatred and the bitterness in his voice. "Well there's a change."

Emma wasn't about to judge Neal based on his reaction. She knew the type of man that Gold was and how sad and guilty he looked at mentioning his son. He practically begged her to go out and find him since he could not leave Storybrooke in fear of losing his memories. She also knew what it felt like to feel betrayed by her parents, of course she had learned that her parents had not abandoned her and loved her and she currently lived with both of them. She knew from the beginning that Neal was alone in the world just like her, they bonded over being abandoned by their parents, only Emma had no idea what had really happened and who Neal had been abandoned by.

"If he wanted to find me so bad, he should have come himself." Neal bit out.

"Unfortunately that's not possible or he would have." Emma explained and Neal narrowed his eyes inquisitively. "The town he's in, its cursed."

Neal shook his head slowly, confused. "I thought you broke that."

Emma frowned and turned her head curiously. "You know about the curse?"

Neal nodded and reached into his pocket, pulling out a postcard and sliding it across the table toward her.

Emma's brow furrowed as she took the postcard in her hands, her eyes widening as she eyed the familiar clock tower and the name Storybrooke on the front. She flipped it over and on the back was one single word: Broken.

"That's what I meant when I said its more complicated." Neal said quietly. "I've known about it for ten years."

Ignoring that statement for now, Emma looked back up at him, holding the postcard in her hand. "Who sent this to you?"

"It was delivered by a pigeon but I suppose it was sent by a man named August."

Emma's brow shot up to her hairline. "August?" She exclaimed. "You know August?"

Neal nodded. "He told me about the curse, he told me that you had to be one to break it and he was there to make sure you did."

"And you believed him?" Emma scoffed.

"Not at first, I didn't know who he was, trying to convince me to leave you but then he brought up magic and asked me if I believed in it. At that point, I had been in this world for almost ten years and my memories of my old life were dimming quickly but then he showed me something that brought it all back. Something only I would know and of course, it caught my attention so he told me about the curse."

"What did he show you?" Emma asked tensely.

Neal clenched his jaw and pressed his lips together. "A memory."

Emma narrowed her eyes slightly, knowing she wouldn't be getting anything else out of him on that.

And then Neal's words finally registered in her head. "Wait...August asked you to leave me?"

Neal nodded quietly. "Yeah." He murmured. "He said that I wasn't any good for you which to me was a lot of crap and I told him I'd never leave you but after he explained about the curse..."

Emma's eyes narrowed further. "You listened to him."

"Emma, I'm sorry."

Emma shook her head, swallowing over the lump in her throat, her mind spinning in circles. "Forget about it, Neal. We're not talking about us."

Neal sighed and nodded reluctantly. "Alright, fine."

Emma ground her teeth together and let out a sigh. "Yes...I broke the curse but somehow there is something that is preventing the residents from leaving the town or else they lose their memory. If he left to find you, he'd forget why he did. He'd forget everything."

"So he sent you." The bitterness was back in Neal's voice and he scoffed. "Why would you do that for him?"

Emma pursed her lips, her face twitching in annoyance. "I sort of owe him."

Neal's eyes narrowed slightly, a sliver of fear entering his eyes. "You made a deal with him?"

"In my defense, I was new to the town and didn't know what he was capable of. I did it for a good reason and I don't regret that." Emma explained.

Neal sighed heavily and buried his hands in his hair. "It could have been so much worse, Emma."

"I am aware of that." She nodded. "But bringing you back seemed to be the most important thing to him."

Neal's hands slid through his hair and landed back on the table and he shot her a look of disbelief. "He wants me to come back."

Emma gave him a look. "No he sent me on a wild goose chase just to confirm you were alive. Yes, Neal, he wants to see you!"

Neal scoffed. "Forget it."

"Neal..."

"No!" He snapped and Emma flinched back. She didn't think she ever saw Neal angry, he was always so gentle, even when he was frustrated, he never got angry.

"I'm sorry you are another victim of my father's insanity and need for control but I refuse to be!" Neal's eyes flashed with pure anger and hatred.

"I'm sure you understand, Emma. I can see by the look on your face that you don't want to be here, that you don't want to see me and I get that. I hurt you, I broke your heart and you hate me for it. Well I don't want to see him, I made a point to forget him, to forget my life as Baelfire and that is not going to change now. So I'm going to do us both a favor and leave." He slid out of the booth and met Emma's hard gaze. "Give my father my regards." He bowed mockingly and turned to leave.

Emma wasn't sure what possessed her to call out to him, he was walking out of her life forever and surely she could explain to Gold that his son was as pigheaded and stubborn as he was. But somehow, watching his tensed retreating back, she couldn't let him walk away again.

"You have a son!" The words slipped out of her mouth before she could control them and she immediately regretted it, slapping herself internally.

Neal froze in the middle of the cafe and slowly turned around to face her, his eyes wide.

Emma bit down on her lip softly and then smiled sheepishly.

Neal immediately walked back to the booth, standing beside the table and staring down at her. "What?"

Emma sighed, closing her eyes for a long moment. "His name is Henry." Her eyes opened and she met his shocked gaze. "I found out I was pregnant while in prison. You were the only man I had been with at the time."

Neal let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding as he collapsed back into the booth. "I have a son." He whispered.

Emma swallowed and reached for her bag, pulling out her wallet and grabbing a recent photo of her and Henry.

Neal took the photo from her and stared down at it in awe. Emma and Henry were seated next to each other, both holding coffee mugs and smiling brightly at the camera. Neal felt his heart constricting painfully in his chest as he stared down at the little boy who wore his identical smile and had his eyes.

"Emma..." He whispered, looking up to her, his eyes full of utter sorrow and regret. "I had no idea..."

Her lips twitched slightly. "I know."

Neal focused his attention back on the picture, taking in the sight of his son. "You raised him all by yourself?"

Emma cleared her throat and looked down. "No, I ah, I put him up for adoption. I wasn't ready to be a mother and I actually had no plans of ever seeing him again but he found me. About a year ago he tracked me down and dragged me back to Storybrooke to break the curse. And now," She let a small smile cross her lips at the thought of Henry, "I couldn't imagine my life without him."

"He's beautiful." Neal murmured, feeling tears prick the back of his eyes and he looked back up at Emma. "I'm so sorry, Em. If I had known..."

She sighed and shrugged. "Would it have changed anything, Neal?"

"Yes! Emma, I loved you. It was the hardest decision of my life to leave you like that and it killed me every day to know I had. And if I had known you were pregnant there's no way I would have left you. I would have said to hell with the curse, to hell with August, I would not abandon my family."

Emma swallowed. "But you would abandon just me."

"No! Emma-" He groaned and he reached over the table to grab her hand but she recoiled, narrowing her eyes at him and he sighed. "It was stupid of me, I realize that. But August convinced me you had a destiny to fulfill and lives to save and that I stood in the way of that."

Emma kept a focused glare on him. "And a baby would have changed that?"

"Our baby would have, yes. Emma, it wasn't easy for me to leave you. I wanted to tell August to screw himself and that nothing could ever get me to leave you and in fact I did tell him that but he was persistent. Even after you were arrested I was tempted to turn myself in and let you go because I couldn't bare the thought of you taking the heat for me and suffering because of me."

"Then why didn't you?" Emma demanded. "Because of my 'destiny'?"

"You were the savior, Emma." He sighed. "With all I remember from that world, they needed one."

Emma scoffed and shook her head. "You destroyed my life, Neal and for what? For the sake of people you didn't even know."

Neal bowed his head. "I'm not proud of it, Emma. I regret it and I wish I could take it back but I can't. All I can do is apologize and try to make it up to you."

Emma barked a laugh. "Like that'll happen."

Neal pressed his lips together and sent her a knowing look. "For whatever reason you called me back here. I was about to leave Emma and you never had to see me again. You told me I had a son, you showed me his picture, you told me his name." He held the picture of Henry in his hands. "I won't be able to let this go and I'm sure you know that. You wanted me to stay and whether that is because you need me to come back with you to Storybrooke so my father won't kill you or some other deeper reason, I don't know but you win, Emma." He slid the picture back across the table and their fingers brushed and Emma's wide eyes locked onto his as she swallowed.

"I'm going to Storybrooke."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't even realize I had not posted all the chapters I have of this story on here and because I recently received a comment asking me to add more...I will add the remaining chapters.

Emma couldn’t believe she was doing this. Neal was just a few paces behind her on the phone with his boss arranging some time off for his impromptu trip. 

It seemed so surreal to her, the whole situation. Her, reunited with her parents who just so happened to be prince Charming and Snow White and an active part of her son’s life, here with Neal, the ex-thief and her ex-boyfriend and father to her son, who was negotiating some time off so they could return to a town full of story book characters. Where she would then have to deal with the fact that she lied to her son about his father and Neal would have to confront the demons of his past with his father, who was also Rumplestiltskin. 

If you had told her all of this this time last year she would have advised you to seek help. But somehow she couldn’t imagine her life any other way. Her life was boring and to have to live the rest of her life as a bonds bail woman, alone...it was unthinkable. She traveled to a distant land, met Captain Hook, Mulan, Sleeping Beauty and the Queen of Hearts all the while fighting alongside her mother who loved her in an unimaginable way. She was the savior to a dark curse that saved everyone from a life of uncertainty and darkness. She reunited friends and family, including her own. And if she had to put her life in danger, or her heart at risk than so be it, she’d do that because this life of fantasy and insanity was better than anything she could have ever hoped for. 

Neal finished up his phone call and ran to catch up with her. 

She forced a small smile at him. “Everything good?” 

Neal nodded. “Yes, he gave me two weeks off. I lose vacation time for the rest of the year though.” He shrugged. “I just hope its worth it.” 

“Yeah.” She muttered. She knew Neal had at least at one time belonged to that world of fairy tale creatures and magic but still she was sure Neal had no idea what he was getting himself into by walking into Storybrooke. 

“So,” She let out a breath, deciding to change the subject and she wrapped her arms around torso, casting a sideways look at him. “You really have a job, huh? Never thought I’d see the day.” 

Neal let out a breath of laughter and looked down with a smirk. “Yeah, I know. But I’ve been working there for nearly five years.” 

“Five years, that’s impressive.” She remarked.

He shrugged. “I figured it’s time to actually get my life straight. After what happened....I didn’t want to live that life anymore. I actually did do some jail time you know? After I stayed in one place for too long people started to recognize me and I was sick of running. I did almost two years and got off on parole for good behavior. After that, I moved to New York and searched around for a job, did a few little things here and there until Mr. Jackson found me and thankfully he looked past my criminal record and hired me anyway.” 

Emma stared at him in surprise. She never expected to run into Neal again but when she did think about it, every once in a while, she thought he’d still be a thief, even more experienced because of the years behind him. But he cleaned up his act and appeared to be a normal man living a normal life as best he could. Neal always could surprise her that way. 

She immediately pushed away those thoughts. She would not get sucked into Neal again. No matter if he explained himself, no matter if he tried to make it up to her, the damage was long done and buried under ten years of hurt. Changing his ways and being charming would not reel her in. 

And then she remembered another little fact that didn’t seem to play into his story. “So, you blew the twenty grand pretty fast then huh?” 

Neal frowned and turned to her inquisitively. “What are you talking about?” 

Emma suppressed an eye roll. “Really, Neal? First you give this whole big spiel about why you abandoned me and now you’re playing dumb?” 

Neal stopped her in the middle of the sidewalk and turned to face her properly, furrowing his brow. “I’m not playing anything, Emma. I gave you that money.” 

Emma scoffed, crossing her arms. “Right, sure you did. I think I would remember having twenty grand.” 

“Alright, I didn’t give the money directly to you but I gave it to August to give to you after you got released.” 

Realization swept over Emma’s face and her eyes widened. “You gave the money to August?” 

“Yes.” Neal nodded. “I didn’t feel right keeping it knowing where it had gotten you.” 

“Oh god, Neal.” She sighed and rubbed her temples. 

“What?” 

“Do you know who August is?” 

Neal blinked in confusion. “I’ve met him...” 

“No, I mean, from your...our world.” 

Neal’s eyes widened slightly. “He’s from that world?” 

“Yeah...and he’s Pinocchio.” 

“Pinocchio.” Neal echoed dryly. “As in ‘I’m a real boy!’, nose grows when he lies, Pinocchio?” 

Emma bit back a laugh. “Pretty much, except I don’t think his nose grows. Or else you would have seen it.” 

Neal’s shoulders deflated and he sighed. “August took the money.” 

“August took the money.” She confirmed. 

“Damnit!” Neal growled, throwing his hands in the air and Emma reeled back in surprise. “He was supposed to be taking care of you!” 

Her eyes narrowed. “Taking care of me? I’m not a child, Neal.” 

He shot her a look. “That is not what I meant.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Do you know what he told me? He told me that he was your guardian angel. As I mentioned, leaving you was the hardest thing I ever had to do but thinking that August would be there to watch over you and keep you safe when I couldn’t made it a little easier. I thought giving you that money would make your life easier and maybe you’d think that I didn’t just abandon you and take the money but that’s exactly what you thought, isn’t it? That I was some no good crook.” 

Emma pressed her lips together silently. Yes that is what she had thought and part of her still did. She didn’t want to believe that Neal was the man she had fell in love with as a young girl, she wanted to believe he was the criminal she believed he was for ten years. But looking at him now, a genuine frustration written on his face, she felt herself starting to be conflicted. 

Neal shook his head, placing his hands firmly on his hips. “I can’t believe I ever trusted him.” 

Emma sighed softly. “Yeah well, you’re not the only one.” 

Neal looked at her with a frown. “How long have you known him?” 

“Not long at all.” She shook her head as they started to walk again. “He came to Storybrooke just a couple of months ago and wouldn’t even tell me his name for the first week or two. He told me all about how he and I came to this world together and he was sent to watch over me and how he failed to do so. He conveniently forgot to mention you. He told me that he was on the other side of the world, enjoying paradise when I entered Storybrooke and the curse started to weaken.” 

Neal’s face scrunched up in disgust. “He left you all alone, took the money and went to paradise?” 

Emma cast him a look. “How is that any different from you, Neal?”

He turned to look at her incredulously. “My life hasn’t been paradise, Emma. I had no money, I told you I was in prison, the guilt over leaving you still kills me and everything I have today I honestly worked for.” 

“But you still left me, Neal and from where I’m standing, you’re just as bad as him.” 

She rolled her eyes at the guilt stricken look in his eyes and picked up her pace to silently get ahead of him. She heard him let out a quiet sigh and then follow behind her not even trying to keep pace with her, instead following her like a puppy who had done wrong. 

They walked in complete silence for the time it took to walk the rest of the way to the parking garage. 

She quickly and quietly cast a look over to Neal as they boarded the elevator to get to the third floor. He didn’t even try to look back at her, his head bowed and his hands folded in front of him. 

Good, she thought. Let him wallow. 

The elevator door pinged open and she walked out with Neal following behind and she dug her keys out of her bag and as she neared the car. 

The yellow bug stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the crowded parking lot of blacks and grays and Neal froze as he caught sight of the familiar car. 

Emma walked up to the car and opened the driver’s side then proceeding to hit the button to unlock the rest of the car and looked over her shoulder to see Neal staring at the car. 

“What?” She snapped at him. 

“You kept the car.” 

She looked back at the bug and her stomach sunk as she realized it was the car where they had first met, the car they practically lived out of. She kept it initially because, upon getting out of prison, she had nothing and the car was the only thing she had. Over time, she slowly forgot its significance and it just became a car, one that she had become too attached to to sell for a newer model. 

“Don’t make a big thing out of it Neal, its just a car.” She muttered. 

Despite her comment, a small smirk still found its way across Neal’s lips and she rolled her eyes and slipped into the drivers seat, slamming the door behind her. 

Just a few seconds later, the passenger door opened and Neal slipped in, soon closing the door behind him. 

He let out a breath as he settled into the seat and placed his hands on the dashboard, a smile tugging at his lips. 

Emma swallowed and turned to look at him and instantly she found herself transported back to a time where everything was so much simpler and care free. She could picture a younger Neal climbing into that same seat, a bright grin beaming on his face from another heist they had successfully pulled off. She could feel his lips burning against hers as they shared a quick kiss in celebration before she hit the gas and they drove off before anyone knew the wiser. 

Her heart ached as she thought back to that time. She was incredibly grateful that she no longer lived like that but it still was one of the happiest times in her life. And knowing how much had changed now and what brought them to this point stung. 

“I can’t believe you still have it.” Neal said quietly, continuing to run his hands affectionately over the dashboard. 

Emma sighed. “It’s just a car, Neal.” She repeated. 

He lowered his hands to his lap and turned to her with a knowing look. “It’s not just a car and you know it.” He smiled softly. “It’s the stolen stolen car. This was our home.” 

Emma clenched her jaw. “And now it’s just a car.” She snapped harshly. Perhaps she shouldn’t have been so harsh about it but she didn’t need Neal thinking that she kept it because of some sentimental reason. “I had no reason to sell it. Any money I could have gotten off of it would have bought an even worse off car.” She took the keys and shoved it into the ignition, starting the car. “So don’t give me that look, Neal.” She could see the slightly wounded look in his eyes despite the fact that he tried to keep his face neutral. “This car lost its meaning the moment you left me.” 

Neal looked like he was about to say something then decided against it and just frowned silently, resting back against the seat. 

Emma nodded slightly to herself, swallowing over the lump in her throat. She absolutely hated all these unwanted feelings being around Neal again was giving her. 

She shifted the car into reverse and pulled out of the parking spot, heading for the exit of the parking garage, an awkward silence falling upon the yellow bug. 

“Emma?” Neal voiced after several blocks of silence. 

Emma repressed a sigh. “Yeah?” 

“Can you stop off at my apartment? It’s just a few blocks from here.”

Emma nodded. “Sure.” She knew what it felt like to take a trip and not have any items with you. She wore the same outfit over and over again for the first few weeks in Storybrooke before having all of her belongings shipped there. The least she could do for Neal was to let him pick up some of his things, especially if he was going to be staying for a little while. 

Neal directed her to his apartment building and she pulled up just in front of it. He thanked her and hopped out, disappearing into the building. 

Emma finally let out a sigh and rested her head against the steering wheel. She didn’t know how she was going to survive this hours long trip back to Storybrooke. It had been so painfully awkward just driving the twenty some-odd blocks from the parking garage to his apartment. 

She expected maybe having to drag some reluctant stranger back with her and have to entertain him on a long trip and somehow that seemed more favorable than the current circumstances. Traveling up the eastern seaboard with the man who deserted her and was also the father to her son was not what she was looking forward to. 

He was back in a little more than five minutes, putting a suitcase into the backseat and then climbing back into the front. “Got everything?” She asked, turning to him. 

Her blood ran cold when she saw the object he held in his hands. To anyone else it would have been a completely random object to take on a road trip but to her, to them, it meant so much more. 

Neal smiled back at her and nodded, reaching forward to hang the dreamcatcher on the rearview mirror. “For good luck.” He explained and she frowned, casting him an annoyed look. 

“You kept that thing.” She raised her brow trying to keep her face even. 

“Of course.” Neal smiled softly. “It was the only thing I had left of you.” 

Emma rolled her eyes and wordlessly started the car. She didn’t want to even bother with Neal’s sentimental crap. Even though she knew now the reason behind him leaving it didn’t change the fact that he actually left. 

As she pulled out into the streets of New York, the swinging dream catcher catching her eye, and Neal sitting quietly beside her, the feel of his stare burning into her, she knew one thing was for sure: this was going to be a long trip.


	4. Chapter 4

The first half hour into the road trip was excruciatingly awkward. Emma didn’t have a particular interest to engage in conversation with Neal and Neal didn’t even bother to try. Which wasn’t exactly like Neal from what Emma remembered, whenever they did have little squabbles back then he was always the one to try to mend it. And of course, it’d always work because he’d flash his puppy dog brown eyes and pout and tell her he loved her and she was young so she gave in. But they were both older now and though Neal had given her a similar look, they both knew it was not like it had been in the past. 

Instead Neal turned his head to look out the window, tapping his fingers against his legs in time to the music she had quickly switched on to avoid complete silence. While she tried to keep her eyes focused on the road but every once in a while she found her eyes slipping to the right, quickly taking a look at him. Whether he didn’t notice these looks or just ignored them she didn’t know but she was grateful he never looked back. 

Eventually, Neal let out a sigh and shifted in his seat, turning to look at her and she pressed her lips together knowing that he was about to start talking. 

“So,” he started with the conventional icebreaker, “What are doing these days, Emma?” 

Her face dropped and she gave him a sideways look that read: are - you - kidding - me? 

“I mean in Storybrooke, you’ve been there for about a year right? What does one do in a cursed town?” ‘

A small smirk found its way to Emma’s lips as she remembered what exactly she did in Storybrooke. “I’m the sheriff.” 

Neal blinked for a moment and then his eyes widened slightly. “The sheriff? You are the sheriff?” He snorted. “How did you land in that position?” 

She let out a breath. “Well, for the first few weeks I had nothing to do, I wasn’t even thinking about a job but the sheriff at the time, he took me under his wing, took me as his deputy.” She paused for a long moment, a frown etching onto her face. “When he had a sudden heart attack I was the one to take his place.” 

Neal frowned slightly. “I’m sorry.” 

Her brow furrowed as she stole a quick glance to him. “For what?”

“About the sheriff, you seemed really fond of him.” 

Emma swallowed, keeping her eyes focused on the road. “He was a good man.” She cleared her throat, shaking off all thoughts of Graham. “It hasn’t been easy, the job, but I like it a lot more than I thought I would. Besides, now my...” She paused, still not used to the title, “..my father is my deputy.” 

Neal lifted his brow. “Your father?” 

Emma nodded. “Did August not tell you that part?” 

“No, he did...I just wasn’t expecting it.” Neal answered. “What are they like, your parents?” 

A small smile played on Emma’s lips. “They’re exactly what you would expect of Snow White and prince Charming. Brave, loyal, friendly, perfect.” She scoffed lightly. “My mother she’s...she’s my best friend. Before the curse broke, before I believed in all of that, she was my roommate and really my only friend in that town. It’s been a little weird adjusting to the fact that she’s actually my mother but we’re so alike in a lot of ways its almost hard not to believe anymore. Especially after our little trip.” She rolled her eyes slightly not even having to bother to look at Neal, knowing his face held a question. “We were pulled back to that land.” 

Neal frowned, his brow creasing. “You were there?” 

Emma nodded. “At least what was left of it. The curse destroyed mostly all of it but somehow this little stretch of land was saved and along with it some people.” 

“What happened? Why did you go back?” 

Emma pulled a face. “It wasn’t voluntary. Gold unleashed this creature on Storybrooke and somehow we managed enough magic to open a small portal back to that land to send it back but it latched onto me and pulled me in with it and my mother followed me through.” 

Neal was silent as he processed the words, his lips pressed in a deep frown. “When you say Gold...?” 

Emma glanced at him quickly, knowing that they were headed towards a touchy subject for Neal. “Rumplestiltskin.” 

Neal’s jaw tightened. “Why do you call him Gold?” 

“That was his name in Storybrooke.” 

Neal’s brow twitched in confusion and Emma elaborated further. “Part of the curse was to not remember your real identity so everyone in Storybrooke had a fake name and a dual identity. Rumplestiltskin was Mr. Gold and he owned the town.” 

Neal narrowed his eyes. “And what did he do? Attacked the town with this creature? What kind of creature?” 

Emma bit down on her lip softly, she could practically hear the rage in Neal’s voice. “It was some soul sucking creature, like a dementor from Harry Potter?” She looked to Neal to see if he understood the reference and he nodded once. “But he didn’t exactly send it to attack the town, it was just after one person and in the search for that one person it nearly destroyed the town.” 

“Who did he want to kill?” He ground out. 

She sighed. “The mayor of the town, the evil queen Regina?” She looked at him and he blinked, the name not registering. “Well, Regina and Gold sort of have a rivalry, a battle for control over the town. Gold just tried to do away with Regina once and for all. It backfired, mainly because he forgot about my family and how though Regina practically ruined everyone’s life with this curse we would not let her die. We fought this thing off and thats when Snow and I got pulled through to that land.” 

“How did you get back? Going to and from that land isn’t easy.” 

Emma rolled her eyes slightly and scoffed. “It was one hell of a journey, I’ll tell you that. Ogres and giants and beanstalks...” 

“Beanstalks?” He cut her off. “You found another bean?” 

Her brow furrowed as she turned to look at him. “What do you mean another bean?” 

Neal sighed heavily. “It’s how I got to this world.” 

“The magic bean?” Emma asked, surprised. 

Neal nodded. “Yeah. The fairy that gave it to me said it was the last one.” 

“Well she was right about that, there were no more beans but there was this magic compass and combined with the ashes of some magical wardrobe...that created a portal that brought us home.” Emma explained. 

Neal pursed his lips thoughtfully but remained silent. Emma figured he was getting lost in a world of memories, distant and almost forgotten memories that had been forced back into his mind. 

She wouldn’t deny that she was curious about Neal’s past and how he got to this world and why he hated his father so much. But she didn’t know if she’d be overstepping her boundaries if she did ask. 

Well, they had hours to go and this topic of conversation seemed to keep them talking without brining up the subject of their own past. 

“Neal...?” She asked hesitantly and she could swear she saw his body tense as if he knew what she was about to say. She waited until he fully acknowledged her by turning to look at her before continuing. 

“What happened?” She made sure that her voice held no hostility or bitterness and was more sympathetic and curious. “Between you and your father?” 

Neal groaned quietly, rolling his eyes slightly as he bowed his head and rubbed his temples. “It’s a long story.” He muttered. 

“Well its a long way to Maine.” She replied. 

Neal sighed and thudded his head back against the seat. He was silent for a long minute, just staring up at the roof of the car, his jaw tight as he slowly shook his head back and forth. Then he swallowed and began to speak. 

“He wasn’t always so...evil.” Neal began and Emma frowned at how lost he sounded. “He was a good man, the village coward but a good man.” 

Somehow Emma couldn’t imagine Rumplestiltskin being a good man. But as Neal said it was a long story. 

“It was just him and me, you know? My mother was gone, he told me she died but I don’t know the actual truth of what happened to her. So he raised me on his own but he was the best father, he always saw to it that I was protected and taken care of.” He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “It was three days before my fourteenth birthday when it all started to go downhill. You see, at fourteen all children were required to fight in the ogre wars.” 

Emma’s eyes widened. She had faced an ogre first hand and it was only because of her mother that she survived it, she couldn’t imagine a fourteen year old kid, someone not that much older than Henry fighting them. “Fourteen?” She whispered in horror. 

“Yeah.” He smiled weakly. “Things were a lot different there.” He cleared his throat. “My father was opposed to it too. He had fought in the wars and he was hurt so he fled. The village hated him for that. When it came time for me to go he fled again, this time with me.” 

He continued to explain the story from the old beggar his father had told him about, to the attack on the duke’s castle, to how he killed the dark one and acquired his magic. 

“He wasn’t that bad at the start. He saved me from going to the ogre wars and he rescued and brought home the rest of the children that were already there but...” He bit his lip softly and shook his head. “The dark magic slowly began to consume him. He did anything and everything for the sake of protecting me, killing just because someone decided to look at me the wrong way.” He swallowed. “Everyone was terrified of him and what he would do to them if he saw them with me, so everyone avoided me too.” 

Emma’s brow creased and she frowned heavily, casting a quick look over at Neal. She didn’t know what she was expecting out of Neal’s story but it certainly wasn’t that. 

“I couldn’t live like that anymore being afraid of my own father, losing him more and more each day. So he made me a deal, if I could find someway to get rid of the dark one without killing him, he would do it. That’s when I found the blue fairy and she gave me the magic bean, telling me that it would take me to a land without magic, and without magic there could be no dark one. I brought the bean back to my father and he agreed to go.” Neal looked down at his lap, his fingers twitching, his jaw tightening and his voice cracking just slightly as he continued. “Only when I opened the portal and grabbed his hand he changed his mind. He couldn’t leave but I was already falling and....he let me go.” He sucked in a breath. “I landed here alone.” 

Emma’s fingers twitched against the steering wheel and she chewed on her bottom lip softly. Upon starting this journey and after finding out who exactly would be coming home with her she told herself that she would not give into him, no matter what sob story he told her. And part of that still rang true, she still held a bitterness when it came to their personal past and August or no, she was still angry with him for leaving her. But this was different, this was a part of Neal that deeply wounded him and had really nothing to do with them. After hearing the whole story she could now understand why Neal hated his father so much, why Gold seemed so guilty about losing his son. And Emma felt that twinge of sympathy that she no doubt inherited from her kind and forgiving parents. 

She swallowed thickly and putting aside her pride for a brief time, slid her right hand off the steering wheel and across the way to find his. Her hand slid into his and she tried to ignore the warmth that shot up her arm and the fluttering of her heart. Their fingers laced together and she gave his hand a slight squeeze, slowly looking over to him.

He lifted his head, surprise clearly written on his face but he said nothing, his lips only twitching in a small but grateful smile. He squeezed her hand in return and gently brushed his thumb across the back of her hand. 

Her body tensed at the affectionate gesture but somehow she couldn’t find herself able to pull away. Neal needed comfort more than she needed space and despite her better judgement she’d give him that, if only for a little while. 

Eventually, when the road became too dark and curvy to navigate single handedly, she pulled her hand out of his and returned it to the steering wheel. Neal thankfully didn’t make a protest, only pressed his hands together in the center of his lap to make up for the lack of contact. 

The car became silent again after that but it was significantly less awkward. The air was temporarily settled between them in lieu of Neal’s heartbreaking past and they both got lost in their thoughts. 

Emma occasionally snuck a look over to Neal and though the sun had long since set, and darkness loomed over the car, in the dim moonlight she swore she could see the sparkling of unshed tears in his eyes. 

\---

It was a little after ten PM when Emma could feel her eyes drooping. It had been a very long day, most of which contained driving and no amount of coffee could keep her awake for much longer. 

She saw a sign advertising a motel and pulled off at that exit, driving along the dark streets until she found it. It was a small place in the middle of nowhere but it was nothing they weren’t used to. She pulled into the small parking lot in front of the building and shut off the car, then turning to look at Neal. 

At some point he had fallen asleep, curling his arm against the window and using his bicep as a pillow. He didn’t stir, even when she stopped the car and shut the engine, but he was always a heavy sleeper. 

Watching him sleep, she felt something tug at her heart strings. The memories of days past when they couldn’t find a motel to sneak into and crashed in this very same car. Though they usually curled up together in the backseat, using each other’s body for heat and comfort. 

And looking at his face, relaxed and almost childlike in sleep, she saw Henry. The resemblance was almost uncanny and there was no doubt in her mind that he was Henry’s father. 

The unwanted emotions she had been feeling started to rise up in her again and she pushed them back quickly, trying to remind herself that she was only with Neal to bring him back to Storybrooke for his father. But even that caused an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach, after all he had told her about their history, how could she force him into that? 

Then she reminded herself that it was Neal’s decision to come and pushed back all guilty thoughts. 

She reached over and gently shoved his shoulder. “Neal, wake up!” 

Neal’s face contorted and he let out a sleepy moan before opening his eyes, blinking as he looked around. “Are we there?” She could hear the slight undertone of fear in his voice. 

She shook her head. “No, we’re at a motel. I’m tired and I don’t trust you to drive.” She explained at his inquisitive look. Then she took the keys out of the ignition and hopped out of the car, stretching her arms over her head. 

A few long seconds later, Neal sleepily shuffled out of the car, yawning before rubbing his hand over his face. 

“Come on.” She motioned her head toward the office and then walked in that direction, Neal silently following behind her. 

She approached the man behind the desk. “We’d like a room.” 

The man took a look at them both, a young couple on a road trip and smirked. “One bed or two?” 

Emma frowned. “Two.” 

The man lifted his brow but silently turned to his computer, clicking on the keyboard for a moment and then looking back up to them. “How many nights?” 

“Just one.” Emma answered and he nodded, returning to his computer. 

She glanced sideways to Neal who had appeared at her side and was digging through his jacket pockets, his brow creased. 

“What are you doing?” She asked him in exasperation. 

“Looking for my wallet.” He replied before pulling it out and opening it up, his fingers finding a credit card. 

Emma shot out her hand to stop him. “Don’t even think about it.” 

Neal glanced up at her, furrowing his brow. “What?” 

Emma shot him a slight glare. “You’re not paying for me, Neal.” She took his wallet from him and closed it, placing it back down in front of him. 

“Emma-” He started to protest but she had already taken out her own wallet and handed her card to the man. 

The man continued to smirk at them, his brow raising at the quarreling young couple and slid her card through the machine. It beeped and he frowned, trying it again. It beeped again and he shrugged as he handed the card back to Emma. “It won’t go through.” 

Emma scowled. “What?” 

He shrugged helplessly and Neal cast her a knowing look. “Is all your money in Storybrooke?” 

“Yes...” 

Neal pressed his lips together and opened his wallet, handing the man his own credit card before turning to Emma. “Cursed town.” He whispered. 

Emma groaned and rolled her eyes, shoving her card back into the wallet and shoving the wallet back into her pocket. “You’ve got to be kidding.” 

“Magic works in strange ways.” Neal shrugged, taking back his card. 

Emma sighed and snatched the key out of the smirking man’s hand. 

“Room twelve.” He instructed and pointed out the window. “Just down there.” 

“Thanks.” Emma muttered tensely and shot Neal a look before walking out. Neal silently smiled to himself and followed after her. 

After retrieving their bags from the trunk of the bug they went to their room. Emma opened the door and took a look at the inside. It wasn’t unlike rooms they had been in before, two beds, a single nightstand between them, a dresser on the far wall and a small door leading to bathroom. 

Emma tossed her luggage on the bed closest to the window and avoided Neal’s gaze. Being with him again in a motel room was a memory she did not wish to revisit. 

She dug out her cell phone and with a soft sigh, reluctantly turned to look at Neal, pointing outside. “I’ll be right outside.” 

Neal was already seated on the bed and spotted the phone in her hand. “Are you going to call him?” Emma raised her brow and he elaborated. “Henry.” 

She shot him a look. “It’s 10:30 at night, Neal. He’s ten years old.” 

Neal lifted his hands innocently. “Alright, sorry. I’m not exactly used to kids.” 

She resisted an eye roll, she didn’t want to discuss parenting with Neal, at least not yet. “I’m calling Mary Margaret.” She didn’t know why she was telling him that, it wasn’t any of his business who she was calling. 

He raised one eyebrow and she sighed. “My mother.” 

His lips formed a little “o” and without another word she turned and left the room, making sure the door was closed behind her. 

She tightened her jacket around her torso, the cool night air stinging her just a bit. Then she took a seat on a near by bench and dialed her mother’s number. 

The phone rang twice before it clicked and Snow’s frantic voice called over the receiver, “Emma?” 

Emma scoffed lightly. “Waiting by the phone, were you?” 

Snow sighed in relief and Emma could practically hear the sheepish smile on her face. “I was worried.” 

“I’m fine.” Emma reassured her, a soft smile playing on her lips. She still wasn’t used to having a mother, none the less one that cared about her. 

“So how’s it going? Where are you?” Snow asked.

“We’re actually on our way back to Storybrooke.” 

“We?” Snow gasped. “So you found him?” 

“Yeah.” Emma sighed lightly. “He was in New York.” 

“New York.” Snow echoed thoughtfully. “Huh...so, you’re on your way back? Where are you now?” 

“We’re at some motel in the middle of nowhere, to be honest I’m not even sure what state we’re in.” 

“A motel?” There was no doubt a frown on Snow’s lips, her disapproving motherly tone was clear as day. “With a stranger? With Rumplestiltskin’s son?” 

Emma bit down on her lip softly. “He’s not exactly a stranger.” 

“What?” 

Emma sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. “If I tell you something, can you promise to keep it between you and me? Just for now at least.” 

“Of course.” The concern in her voice was evident. 

“I know him....from a long time ago. We were...very close.” 

“How close?” 

Emma hesitated, kicking her boot lightly against the wood below her feet. “He’s Henry’s father.” 

“What?” Snow gasped. “Henry’s father? I thought you said he was long gone.” 

“Well I never expected to see him again and I certainly had no idea he was Gold’s son.” Emma answered.

“Henry’s father is Gold’s son...” Snow muttered, as if trying to process the information. 

“You can’t tell him, Henry I mean.” She swallowed slightly. “I’ll tell him when I get there.” 

“I won’t tell him.” Snow promised. “But Emma, are you sure you’re alright? The way you talked about him...” 

Emma smiled slightly. “I know the way I talked about him and I’m still not sure how I feel about him. I still kind of want to punch him,” She laughed softly, “but we’ve talked and, like always it seems to be recently, things aren’t the way I thought they were.” She sighed quietly and leaned back against the bench. “He told me his story, how he got to this world from that one and what happened between him and Gold.” She rubbed her arms lightly. “There’s so much more to him than I ever realized and I just don’t know what to think anymore.” 

“Give it time, Emma.” Snow said. 

Emma let out a scoff. “Patience has never really been on of my strong suits.” 

Snow let out a soft laugh. “Don’t worry, everything will work out the way it should.” 

Emma nodded quietly, then realized she was on the phone and quickly sighed, “Yeah.” She was suddenly cut off by a yawn and realized how exhausted she really was. “Well look I have to get some sleep, I’ll be back in town tomorrow.” 

“Alright, goodnight Emma.” Snow wished sweetly and Emma couldn’t help the small smile that crossed her lips. 

“Goodnight.” 

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone but Emma could still hear her mother’s light breathing and knew there was something else coming. What came through the speaker next though nearly knocked her off the bench. 

“I love you.” Snow’s voice was soft and weak as she took this daring step with her daughter. 

Emma’s breath caught in her chest at the words. She knew her mother loved her, the last couple of months that the curse was broken have more than proved that but it was the first time she ever said it aloud. 

There were only two people in the entire world that Emma had ever said those words to. One was in the motel room just a several feet away and the other was the product of that past love, sleeping a hundred miles away, waiting for her return. 

Emma slowly let out a breath, unsure of what to say but knowing she had to say something. Finally she swallowed past the lump in her throat and mumbled, “Me too.” 

She knew it’s not what her mother wanted to hear but it was all Emma felt comfortable giving at that moment and she cursed herself for it. 

“Goodnight, Emma.” Snow whispered again and then hung up. Emma shut the phone and sighed heavily, burying her head in her hands. After a minute or so, she ran her hands over her face and stood up, heading back to the room. 

When she walked in, the sight before her just slightly warmed her heart. Neal was curled up on his bed, his face buried in the pillow and fast asleep. Unconsciously a smile found its way to her lips. Despite every part of her brain protesting, she knew she couldn’t stay mad at him when he looked like that. Come tomorrow though, when he was awake, that all would change.

Feeling exhaustion ache every part of her body, she slid her bag off the bed and climbed onto it, not bothering to change out of her clothes. She closed her eyes for a moment as she buried her head in the pillow, feeling her body already start to relax. 

Her eyes fluttered open as she stole one last look at Neal, feeling an inexplainable ache in her chest and then she pushed it aside, turned her head to face away from him and closed her eyes and within minutes she was fast asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Neal awoke to the bright sunlight streaming in through the windows. He let out a soft groan and buried his head into the pillow to keep himself surrounded by darkness for a little while longer. However, the stiff pillow beneath his head and the musty scent that entered his nostrils woke him for an entirely different reason. While those feelings were not unfamiliar, it was something he hadn’t experienced in a long time. 

He lifted his head, his eyes squinting as they adjusted to the light and once his eyes came into focus, he took in his surroundings. It was a motel definitely, with the old, stiff mattress, crumbling wallpaper and stained carpets. And outside the window he could see the figure of a blonde woman and his heart leaped into his throat. For a brief second he thought it was ten years ago and he’d be able to walk outside and sneak up behind Emma, softly kiss her neck as she’d giggle and lean into his embrace and then they’d sneak out of there before anyone knew they were there. 

But as Emma turned and he could see her lack of glasses, her longer, wavier hair, the slight aging in her face, he knew the circumstances were much different. 

He sighed as he sat up and then ran a hand through his hair. He let out a slight yawn and stretched out his arms before refocusing his attention out at Emma. 

For so long he wanted nothing more than to find her again and after the postcard arrived he knew that was his chance but he hesitated. Perhaps he was scared of what she would do to him (quite frankly he was surprised it hadn’t been more angry), or perhaps he was scared of what he might find. He stalled for months and he wasn’t sure how much longer he was going to put it off if Emma hadn’t showed up. And of all the things he expected upon meeting Emma again, being thrust back into his father’s life and learning he had a son were not some of them. 

He scooted to the edge of the bed, stretching again as he stood up, preparing to go use the bathroom when he heard the faint sound of Emma’s voice. 

He turned to look at her and noticed that she had left the door slightly open and if he listened closely, he could hear what she was saying and more importantly, who she was talking to.

Part of him felt bad for spying on her but the curiosity ran much deeper. With all the stealth of the ex-master thief he was, he pressed himself silently against the wall between the window and the door, listening to her conversation. 

“Yes, I promise...I’m going to be home in a couple hours...” She chuckled and he could hear the smile in her voice. “I don’t know, maybe four?...Yes, you will be one of the first people I see. I’ll meet you at Granny’s....” She laughed again. “I’ve only been gone a day, kid.” 

And with those words, Neal’s heart skipped a beat and then took off like a drum. He was almost sure, judging just by the tone of Emma’s voice that she was talking to Henry and those words confirmed it. His son, their son, was just on the other side of that cellphone. At that moment, Neal knew he’d give anything just to hear his son’s voice. 

“I miss you too.” There was such a love in Emma’s voice that was once only reserved for him and though he felt an ache in his chest at the thought that she may never use that tone with him again, knowing she used it for their son took that away. 

“I’ll see you soon...Bye, Henry.” 

Neal wasn’t sure if it was the thought of Henry that distracted him but before he knew it the door was being pushed open and he was met with an amused Emma. 

Neal pulled away from the wall and grinned sheepishly. 

Emma narrowed her eyes slightly and crossed her arms over her chest. “Were you spying on me, Neal?” 

“You left the door open.” He retorted, knowing full well that wasn’t a good excuse. “I was a little curious.” He admitted. “You were talking to Henry.” 

Emma’s face softened just a little and Neal didn’t know if it was from the mention of Henry’s name or the fact that he was the one mentioning Henry’s name. 

Regardless, he continued with the subject to avoid any scolding. “Can you tell me about him?” 

Emma sighed quietly, dropping her hands to her sides. “When we get to the car.” 

Neal nodded with a small smile. That was more than fair. 

It was then, standing so close to Emma, that he noticed something he couldn’t believe he didn’t notice before. Around her neck were two chains, one with a plain silver round pendant and the other had a swan charm. The same swan charm he had stolen for her ten years ago. At the sight of it he felt his heart swell in his chest and a small smile etched onto his lips. She had kept the car, she had kept the swan keychain, maybe it wasn’t so hopeless after all. 

Emma furrowed her brow lightly and frowned when she observed Neal and where his eyes were settled. She followed his gaze down, prepared to snap at him when she realized he wasn’t looking at her cleavage at all but the charm that rested nicely over her shirt. 

She rolled her eyes and shifted her body away from him, grabbing the necklaces and tucking them below her shirt. “Let’s just go, Neal.” She walked past him and toward the bed, reaching for her bag. 

“Can I at least take a shower first?” He asked, turning to her. 

Emma huffed and turned to plop herself at the edge of her bed. “Fine, but make it quick.” 

He smiled and quickly gathered some clothes and then disappeared into the bathroom. 

Emma shook her head and then threw herself down onto the bed, closing her eyes tightly. 

She stayed that way for the whole ten minutes Neal was in the bathroom and only sat up when she heard the doorknob turning. 

Her eyes widened and she felt her breath catch in her throat as Neal stepped out, looking like he was part of a Levi’s commercial. The steam from the hot shower followed him out, his jeans hugged his legs in all the right places, his light gray shirt rode up revealing smooth, toned skin as he raised his hands above his head, ruffling a towel over his hair. He then wrapped the towel around his neck, ran his fingers through his hair a few times and flashed a charming smile her way. 

Emma unconsciously licked her suddenly dry lips and swallowed past the sudden lump in her throat. She let out a breath through her nose and shook her head, clearing her throat as she stood up, avoiding his gaze. “We should get going.” She said quickly, grabbing her bag and hastily walking towards the door.

Once her back was turned, Neal grinned to himself. He wasn’t blind, he saw Emma checking him out and was very pleased at her reaction. 

He tossed the towel back into the bathroom and then grabbed his suitcase and followed after her. 

Emma was already at the bug, putting her bag into the trunk and she turned to him as he approached. “I’m going to check out, you can wait in the car.” 

He only smirked slightly and nodded and she rolled her eyes as she headed toward the office. 

Neal chuckled slightly to himself as he put his suitcase in the trunk. 

He had no plans to push Emma, he knew that ten years of bad history between them couldn’t be solved by him being flirty. But now at least he knew he had the chance for redemption and if he was lucky, the chance for something more. 

After closing the trunk, he hopped into the passenger seat to wait for Emma. As he waited he looked around the car, a small smile playing on his lips as he remembered all the good times he and Emma had in this car. It wasn’t a way to live but at the time Neal knew he could have lived that way forever if it meant being with Emma. She was the first good thing to ever happen to him since he arrived in this world and to have to give that up was painful. But she was back in his life now and though she was angry with him, he could see that light flickering back to life, and knowing about Henry, though it terrified him as much as it excited him, made it grow that much stronger. 

Soon Emma was back and climbing into the driver’s seat. Her face was a little more relaxed but her jaw was still tense as she turned to look at him. “Ready to go?” 

He swallowed slightly. The thought of another few hours spent alone with Emma and learning about his son excited him but another thought, the thought that he was that much closer to seeing his father again, distilled fear in his heart. But he put on a brave face and nodded. 

Emma wordlessly started the car and pulled out of the parking lot, heading back to the parkway that would take them to Maine. 

There was not even ten minutes of silence before Neal broke it. “So, tell me about Henry.” 

Once again Emma’s face visibly softened at the mention of Henry’s name and he could even see the hint of a smile on her lips as she quickly looked at him. “He’s a lot like you, actually.” 

Neal’s face lit up. “Really?” 

“Yeah.” Emma shook her head lightly. “Sneaky....stubborn...” 

“Well, I’d say he gets the stubbornness from you.” He cut her off and she shot him a sideways glare but he only returned a smirk. 

“Alright,” Emma relented, “He does get that from me.” She shook her head again as Neal grinned. “He’s clever.” She continued. “Very clever. He figured out the whole curse thing on his own. He figured out that I was his mother and that I was the savior and he left Storybrooke all on his own to find me.” 

“Woah, woah.” Neal quickly cut her off. “He left Storybrooke on his own? And he’s ten years old?” 

“Yep.” 

“How did he manage to do that?” 

Emma scoffed and shook her head. “He stole his teacher’s credit card.” 

“What?” Neal gasped, not so much outraged but impressed. 

Emma hummed and turned a sideways look at him. “Like father like son.” 

“Hey!” Neal protested, pointing a finger at her, his lips twitching upwards. “I never stole a credit card.” 

Emma pressed her lips together, obviously trying to keep the smile off her face and a laugh from escaping, her fingers tightly gripping the steering wheel. 

Neal grinned at her knowingly and she resisted leaning over to slap his arm. He chuckled softly, “So he stole his teacher’s credit card and took a trip, on his own, to Boston? How did he get you to come back with you?” 

Emma finally let a small smile grace her features at the fond memory. “He just came right out and told me he was my son. I almost had a heart attack at seeing him there, I almost completely forgot about him, you know? But after I composed myself I told him I’d call the police and they’d bring him back home and he actually told me that if I did that he’d tell them that I kidnapped him.” 

Neal snorted. “Smart kid.” 

“Hm.” Emma nodded in agreement. “So I agreed to go back with him. I didn’t plan on staying, I didn’t plan on getting involved, I was just going to drop him back off at his mother’s house and be done with it. But obviously, that didn’t work out and it was mostly because of Henry.” 

“Mostly?” 

Emma sighed. “Well as crazy as it all sounded at the time, the town intrigued me. Part of me wondered if Henry was actually telling the truth.” 

Neal smiled warmly and leaned his head back against the seat, gazing at her. “So what else? Tell me everything.” 

Emma smiled slightly and briefly looked a him. She was more than willing to talk about Henry. What parent didn’t like to brag about their child after all and even after everything Neal has done to her, she still felt he had he right to know about his son. 

So she told him everything, what he liked, and little things he had done that stuck in her memory. She talked for hours and Neal was more than willing to listen, the smile never leaving his face as he heard stories about his son. 

Some stories had them both laughing and for that little short while the tension between them had almost completely dissipated, leaving only a mutual love they shared for their son. 

Even after they moved onto different conversations, it remained light and impersonal, avoiding any possible awkward moments. It was almost like old times, them on the road in their little yellow bug, sharing small talk and laughing. Neal had to constantly remind himself that it wasn’t and if he said something stupid, Emma would put her walls up again and it’d be near impossible to get through. 

It was just over four hours on the road when they passed the Storybrooke sign. The car had gone quiet and had been for the last thirty minutes, ever since they entered Maine. 

Emma frowned slightly as she glanced over to Neal. His lips were twisted into a frown for the first time since they left that day as he stared out the window at the passing trees, and his leg was shaking so violently Emma was surprised he hadn’t worn a hole in the floor. 

She bit her lip softly and slowed down, pulling off to the side of the road and then putting the car in park.

Neal’s leg stopped shaking and he turned to look at her inquisitively. “What are you doing?” 

She let out a breath and shifted in her seat to face him fully. “I just want to make sure you’re okay with this.”

His brow lifted in surprise. Even though they had been getting along pretty well the last couple hours he didn’t expect such a kind thought out of her. 

She seemed to read his mind and explained, “I may be angry with you but that doesn’t mean that I have to push you into your father’s life without a care in the world. After everything you’ve told me...it wouldn’t be right of me.” 

Neal’s lips twitched in a small smile of gratitude before he sighed and looked down, fiddling with his fingers in his lap. “I’ve come this far.” He shrugged lightly. “It’s a bit too late to turn back now. Besides, you were sent to find me. I hate to think of what would happen if I backed out.” 

Emma creased her brow and frowned. “I don’t give a crap about what happens to me, Neal. I would tell him I did my best. I’m not afraid of him.” 

Neal swallowed and looked up at her and her chest tightened. She could see the lost fourteen year old boy in his eyes and she was surprised by how much it hurt. 

“Maybe you should be.” He muttered. 

Emma narrowed her eyes slightly. “Well I’m not. Seriously, Neal, don’t worry about me. If you’re not ready to face him, we can still leave. I’m not taking you back to New York but I can take you to the nearest city.” 

Neal looked down, as if actually pondering her offer. It was tempting he had to admit, after all the thought of seeing his father again made him sick with fear but he was also this close to meeting his and Emma’s son. How could he pass up an opportunity to know his son just because he was afraid of his past demons? 

“No.” He decided. “I’m not going to leave.” He looked up and nodded in determination. “I’m as ready now as I’ll ever be.” He let out a breath. “Bring it on.” 

The corner of Emma’s mouth turned up and she gave him a curt nod before starting the engine and turning back onto the road. 

Neal sat up as soon as they entered the town, peering out the window with a bit of curious wonderment. He had been to cities all across the country but this town, he knew, there was not another like it. 

Emma spied Gold’s shop out of the corner of her eye and swallowed. Even though she knew Gold wouldn’t be there it still made her a little uneasy. 

She pulled up in her usual spot outside of Granny’s diner and Neal furrowed his brow as he looked out the window. “This is where he is?” 

“No.” Emma answered, shutting off the car and turning to him. “But when I was reunited with my parents, just after the curse broke, they wanted to talk to me and I wasn’t exactly ready to and all I wanted was some really good wine.” 

Neal cocked one single eyebrow. “You’re going to get me drunk.” 

“No.” She laughed softly. “That would create an even bigger mess that you or I don’t need. I’m just going to give you a little something to get the edge off.” 

Her fingers found the door handle of the car and she paused before opening it. “And Neal, Henry will probably be in there.” 

Neal’s eyes widened as he looked out at the diner, clearly trying to picture the little boy in the photo Emma showed him. 

Emma let out a breath. “Please, don’t say anything to him. At least not about who you are to him.”

Neal turned to her with a frown and she bit her lip. “I’ll tell him, I promise. But you don’t need that right now.” 

Neal nodded in understanding and upon thinking about it realized she was right. He knew Henry would know who he was soon enough but Neal didn’t need the pressure of being a new father right before he was going to face his father.   
They both got out of the car and Neal inhaled deeply and even the scent of this place got him a little nauseous. It’s like he could smell the magic. His jaw tensed as he followed Emma into the diner quietly. 

Upon entering the diner, Emma immediately searched the place. Ruby was at her usual place behind the counter and smiled at seeing her. Sitting at the counter was a few of the dwarves, either drinking or eating. And sitting in a booth near by was her whole family. She didn’t know why she expected anything less. 

David and Henry were sitting together on one side and across from them was Snow. Henry was too focused on his cup of hot chocolate to even notice that she entered the diner. It was David who noticed her first and a smile lit up her father’s face and he gently nudged Henry. 

Henry looked up at his grandfather and then followed his gaze to where Emma stood. Emma smiled at him and lifted her hand in a wave. Henry’s face brightened and he launched himself out of the booth and ran across the diner.

“Mom!” He cried and Emma laughed as she knelt down to envelop Henry in a proper hug. 

Neal’s stood still and wide-eyed, feeling all the breath leave his lungs as he watched the ten year old run toward them. That was his son. He actually had a son. Neal felt his throat tighten as he watched the tender reunion between mother and son. 

Emma lightly shook her head as she pulled back a moment later, grinning at Henry. “I was only gone for a day, kid.” She affectionately ruffled his hair and he pulled a face but never stopped grinning. 

“I still missed you.” He insisted and her eyes lit up as she pulled him in for another hug. 

“I missed you too.” She whispered, gently kissing the top of his head. 

All of a sudden Henry tensed in her arms as he caught sight of the stranger behind his mother, staring at him with an odd expression. Emma pulled back, feeling the sudden change in Henry and looked at him curiously and then followed his gaze to Neal. 

Her heart was pounding as she looked between father and son. She knew Neal was dying to reach out to Henry, she could see it in his eyes and for perhaps the first time she felt guilty about the lie she told.

Emma stood up, keeping a hand on Henry’s shoulder and Henry leaned slightly into her side, eyeing Neal warily but curiously. “Is this him?” He asked, looking up at his mother. “Is this Mr. Gold’s son?” 

Emma let a small smile cross her lips as she looked over at Neal who was still too overcome by so many emotions he could hardly move. Looking at him, she knew he wouldn’t be answering Henry’s question himself. 

“Yes.” Emma answered and swallowed slightly, raising her brow. “Neal?” 

At the sound of his name, Neal broke out of his stupor and looked over at Emma. The sight of her with her arm protectively wrapped around their son sent his heart into overdrive and he could feel the prickle of tears behind his eyes. But he quickly pushed them back and opened his mouth to let in a breath and then cleared his throat. 

“I, ah....yes.” 

Emma held back a smirk as Neal fumbled for words. 

“I thought his name was Baelfire.” Henry said and Neal visibly tensed at the name. There was a strange sort of emotion running through him at the sound of his birth name being said by his son. 

Neal gathered himself together and addressed Henry himself. “In that world, it was. In this world, my name is Neal.” 

“Oh.” Henry said simply and then smiled up at him and Neal felt his heart leap at the sight. “It’s nice to meet you, Neal.” 

Neal smiled shakily. “It’s nice to meet you too, Henry.” 

Henry furrowed his little brow. “How did you know my name?” 

Neal looked over to Emma and smiled. “Your mom talked about you a lot.” 

Henry, clearly delighted with that answer, grinned up at his mother and wrapped his arms around her waist. Emma smiled down at him and affectionately pulled her tighter against him, and then turned to Neal, nodding slowly. 

“Come on, kid.” Emma kept an arm around Henry while motioning to Neal and she turned to walk back toward the table. 

Snow and David were smiling brightly as she approached and Emma shared that smile with them. As Neal came up behind her, Snow’s smile faltered only slightly as she shot a silent, questioning in his direction. Emma pressed her lips together and nodded once, covering it up by turning her head toward Neal and forcing a small smile. 

“Neal, these are my parents.” 

Neal’s eyes widened as he looked between the couple at the booth. They looked no older than Emma did but he imagined that must have been part of the curse. 

“Hello, Neal.” Snow greeted sweetly and David sent a friendly nod in his direction, slipping his arm around Henry’s shoulders who had climbed back into the seat beside him. 

Emma let out an inner sigh of relief. David showed no hostility toward Neal which meant Snow had kept her promise and didn’t tell him about Neal’s identity in regards to her and Henry. 

“It’s an honor to meet you two, really.” 

Emma rolled her eyes slightly, it was just like Neal to suck up and it seemed to do wonders for her father’s ego. He wasn’t arrogant by any means but he did love to be a prince and to be recognized for that meant everything to him. 

“Come on,” Emma motioned her head, “Let’s get you that drink.” She lightly nudged Neal’s arm and headed toward the counter. 

Neal followed behind her and they both took a seat as Ruby came over to them. “Hey, Emma. What can I get for you two?” She eyed Neal and he shifted under her gaze. The whole town no doubt knew who he was by now and he knew the looks of fear were going to start up again. 

He really did need that drink. 

“Give us the best stuff you got, Ruby.” Emma replied, noticing the way Neal visibly deflated. 

Ruby nodded and went over to the bar, grabbing two glasses. 

Emma swiveled on her seat to look at Neal whose head was now bowed and nearly pressed up against the counter. She thanked Ruby once she brought over the alcohol and Neal lifted his head, greedily grabbing for the glass and taking a large swig. 

He closed his eyes and let out a sigh as the relaxing burn swept over him. Still nursing the glass, he then turned to Emma who was watching him with a mixture of amusement and concern. “You alright?” 

He nodded and took another sip before subtly glancing over his shoulder to the booth where Henry sat and then looked back at Emma. “He’s more than I ever could have imagined.” He said softly. 

Emma managed a small smile and quickly glanced at Henry herself before nodding in agreement. “He’s a great kid.” 

“I can’t believe he’s ours.” He whispered in awe.

Emma forced a smile and pressed the glass to her lips, taking a long swig. However she didn’t want to drink too much since she did have to drive Neal over to Gold’s and she had a reputation to uphold as the sheriff so she pushed the glass over to Neal instead. 

He gave her a curious look and she raised her brow pointedly. “You’re going to need it.” 

Neal smiled gratefully and poured the rest of hers into his own glass and downed it in one swig. He slammed the glass down onto the table and shook his head as the alcohol burned through his veins. 

“Neal?” 

He turned to her with a sigh. “There is no sense in putting it off any longer. I’m going to feel worse about it the longer I wait so let’s just go.” 

Emma frowned slightly but nodded, left a few bills out for Ruby and walked back over to her family. “I have to take Neal over to Gold’s. But I’ll be back, okay?” She directed the last part down at Henry who nodded. She smiled at him and affectionately rubbed his head, sharing a nod with her parents and then turning back to Neal. 

He nodded at her silently and together they walked out back to the bug. 

Emma looked over to him silently as she drove down the streets to Gold’s manor. The alcohol did little for him, at least thats how it appeared. His body was still tense, his leg started shaking again and she could practically see his heart beating rapidly in his chest. 

She pulled up across the street and parked the car. Neal sighed heavily as he stared out the window. He didn’t recognize the house but that didn’t mean he didn’t know who lived there. 

He remained still for a long moment before reaching for the handle bar and turning to Emma with a weak smile. “Thanks.” He murmured. 

He started to open the door when she stopped him. She reached into the backseat and grabbed her bag, pulling out a small piece of paper and a pen, writing down something and then handing it to him. 

“What’s this?” He asked, furrowing his brow.

“My address. I know this isn’t going to be easy for you, Neal. And I might regret this but if you need someone to talk to, you can talk to me.”

He gazed down at the sheet of paper and then back up at her and his eyes shone with utter appreciation and something more Emma didn’t wish to acknowledge. 

“Thank you, Emma.” He whispered and she nodded, reaching over to take his hand and squeeze it gently. He squeezed her hand in return and then sucked in a breath, stepping out of the bug. 

He glanced back at Emma through the window and she shot him a small encouraging smile and he closed his eyes before turning away from the car and looking toward the house.


	6. Chapter 6

Neal trudged slowly across the street and up the walkway to Gold’s house. The thought that his father was just beyond those walls sent his heart pounding and his stomach twisting until it felt like he’d throw up with every step he took. The small amount of alcohol did nothing for him except increase the headache he’d had since they got into Maine. 

This moment was something he had dreaded for so long and for awhile it had been nothing but a nightmare. He let his new identity completely take over his life, Baelfire was nothing but a distant memory. For nearly twenty years he considered himself to be Neal Cassidy and he still considered himself to be Neal, regardless of the fact that his life as Baelfire was rearing its ugly head. 

He stopped just in front of the door and stared at the wood in silence, breathing heavily. He wasn’t ready for this. Why did he ever agree to this? He could still stay in Storybrooke without Rumplestiltskin knowing who he was, couldn’t he? It had been twenty years, possibly even longer for his father, surely there was a chance he wouldn’t recognize him. He could just be Neal Cassidy, Emma’s old boyfriend and Henry’s father. He could be no one special. 

Despite every part of him telling him to turn around and run away, there was another part of him, the part of him that told him not to be the coward his father was. To face the danger ahead of him instead of running away. 

So with that little bit of courage and determination he knocked on the door. The sound made his stomach plummet as he realized he was that much closer to seeing his father again. 

He tightened his jaw and straightened his back, keeping a strong appearance even though he felt like he’d fall apart with each second that passed. 

He could hear a shuffling from the other side of the door. He didn’t think his heart rate could climb any higher but it had, to the point where it was now pounding painfully in his ears. 

His breath caught as the door clicked and the door knob turned achingly slow until finally the door was pulled open. 

Neal felt his whole world on the verge of crashing down around him as he stared at the man he had once known and loved. He looked - human. He was not covered in that scaly gold, his eyes were a normal brown, his hair fell naturally brown and grey around his head and his clothes, though more modern and expensive than his old farm clothes, were not the tight leather as he last remembered. He was almost the papa he knew but there was still a darkness in his eyes that reminded him he was still the man that abandoned him for magic. 

With both hands rested on the cane in front of him, Gold stared curiously at the silent man at his doorstep. “Can I help you?” 

Neal didn’t know if he was relieved or only felt more betrayed that he didn’t recognize him. He searched for his voice but it could not be found and the longer he stared at Rumplestiltskin, the longer he could see he was becoming impatient. 

“If you’re not going to say anything-” It was then that Gold trailed off and his brow creased as he noticed something past Neal’s shoulder. He rose slightly onto his toes to see over the slightly taller man and his eyes widened slightly as he spotted Emma’s yellow bug parked on the other side of the road, with Emma herself peering out of the passenger side window. 

Gold’s eyes slowly moved back to him, his face softening as he eyed Neal. 

Neal curled his hands into tight fists and pressed them at his sides. The way he was looking at him, Neal knew he had realized who he was. 

Gold brought a shaky hand to briefly cover his mouth and then it slipped back to his side as he leaned forward and asked in a desperate whisper, “Bae?” 

Neal closed his eyes tightly for a moment. Baelfire was a name he hadn’t heard in years, the affectionate nickname that only his father called him stung even more. Then he inhaled sharply, swallowed, opened his eyes and nodded. 

Gold let out a soft gasp. “It’s really you, son?” His voice shook and cracked with a vulnerability Neal was not expecting. 

Neal narrowed his eyes slightly at the man in front of him. He knew that if there was one thing his father was good at, it was manipulating people. 

Finally, Neal found his voice. “Yes.” He answered coldly. “It’s me.” 

“Oh....” Gold sighed, pain and tears flickering into his eyes. “Bae. My boy...” He reached out his hand but Neal let out a slight hiss through his nose and jumped back, fixing a glare on him. 

Gold recoiled and only continued to stare at him with that pathetic look. Then he nodded, “I know you’re upset son-” 

Neal scoffed loudly and tightly crossed his arms over his chest, averting his gaze to the floor. 

“You have every right to be.” Gold continued and Neal narrowed his eyes further, casting a skeptical look up at his father. Gold moved to the side, pressing himself up against the door and opening his arm in welcome. “Won’t you please come inside, Bae?” 

Neal rolled his eyes slightly. He didn’t know how much longer he could stand that name. “Why should I?” He spat back. 

Gold leaned his head slightly forward, trying to catch his eye. “We have a lot to talk about.” 

“What makes you think I want to talk to you?” Neal retorted. 

There was no smirk, no arrogance on his face, only a pleading and a slightly knowing look in his eyes. “If you hadn’t, you wouldn’t have came here with Miss Swan.” 

Damnit, he cursed silently. He knew the real reason he had returned with Emma but he was not about to let Rumplestiltskin know he had a history with Emma and that Henry was their son.

Gold’s lips twitched up in a hesitant smile and he beckoned him in again. “Baelfire, please.” 

Neal tightened his arms against his chest and glared at the floor. Walking into his home, to be alone with him was so much different than being in a public eye. Neal didn’t know what lay beyond those doors. Neal knew magic had come to this world through Emma and the means by which she found him. And if there was magic, there was no doubt his father had it. 

But Neal had come this far, he wouldn’t be turning back now. So he let out a little groan, flung his arms to his side and marched past his father and into the house. 

Gold watched him walk into the house, relief flooding over his features and he quickly looked across the street to Emma and sent her a curt nod. Emma’s face was unreadable from that distance but she lifted her hand in acknowledgement and Gold moved back into the house, closing the door behind him. 

Neal stood in the middle of the hallway, his back facing Rumplestiltskin as he looked around at the house. It was much nicer than their home back in the other land but that was no doubt due to his position in the town. 

“Bae...” Gold called out softly and Neal frowned, turning around to face him. 

“First of all, it’s Neal. I haven’t been called Baelfire since I was fourteen and that is not going to change any time soon.” 

Gold’s face fell but nodded. “Very well. Whatever you want to be called, son, that’s what I will call you.” 

Neal resisted another eye-roll at the constant use of the word ‘son’. It was something he did often back in their old world but now it only reminded him that he did not want to be associated with him, especially as his son. 

“You wanted to talk, so talk.” Neal jumped right into it. There was no sense in denying the inevitable any longer. Besides he was in no mood to make small talk. 

Gold frowned, shifting weight to lean more on his cane as he gazed curiously at him. “Don’t you want to say anything?” 

Neal’s jaw tensed. “Anything I have to say, you don’t want to hear.” 

Gold visibly swallowed and nodded quietly and Neal narrowed his eyes. It was almost as if he was the cowardice man he used to be before he acquired the power of the Dark One. But Neal couldn’t believe that he was. He learned very quickly in this world that appearances were deceiving. 

“Alright.” Gold extended his arm out, taking a few steps from what Neal could see was a living room. “Shall we sit down-”

“No.” Neal cut him off roughly. He did not feel like getting comfortable, sitting down for a nice little chat with his dear old dad. He didn’t gave a care in the world about his father’s gimp leg. 

His father appeared taken aback but moved back to his original position, almost directly across from him, several feet away in the center of the hallway. 

Neal crossed his arms over his chest and raised his brow, daring him to continue. 

He sighed heavily as he leaned on his cane, staring at the floor for a moment before looking back up to Neal. “I’m sorry, Bae.” Neal’s brow twitched and Gold sighed again and corrected himself. “Neal. I am so sorry.” 

“You’re sorry.” Neal echoed dryly. “You abandoned me and you think a little apology is going to fix that? You let me go because magic is apparently the most important thing to you.” 

“No!” Gold protested, his eyes widening slightly as he took a step forward and Neal instinctively took a step back. “It’s not like that!” 

“Like hell!” Neal snapped. “I came to this world because there was no magic. For the twenty years I’ve been here this world had no magic. And then I come here, to this tiny little town, and there’s magic. I wonder why that is?” He growled. 

Gold shook his head, staring back at him desperately. “You don’t understand.” 

“No, I understand perfectly.” Neal shot back. “You simply could not live in a world where there was no magic.” 

“I brought magic here so I could find you!” Gold said. “That’s the only reason.” 

Neal let out a bitter laugh. “You really expect me to believe that?” 

Gold looked down shamefully. “Perhaps not.” He glanced back up at him. “But it is the truth.” 

Neal pressed his lips together and shook his head vigorously. “That’s crap. You couldn’t give up magic for your own son. You depend on it, it’s like a damn drug to you.” 

Gold took another few steps forward and Neal took another few steps back, eyeing him icily. 

“The second that portal closed I regretted it.” Gold told him. “I wanted nothing more than to open it again and jump in after you. The blue fairy told me it was impossible.” 

“Yeah.” Neal snapped sarcastically. “I think you might have missed the part where I told you it was the last bean of its kind.” 

Gold ignored his comment with a quick shake of his head. “I vowed from that day on to find someway to get to this world. And I tried everything I could for decades, for centuries I lived for nothing else than to find my way to you.” 

Neal narrowed his eyes. “I know the stories. I’ve read the stories. Imagine my surprise when I find there are children’s books about Rumplestiltskin and the horrors he inflicted on people. So don’t you dare try to feed me those lies.” 

Gold pressed his brow together. “Everything I’ve ever done was for you.” 

“Tell me, the story about the Miller’s daughter and spinning straw into gold and you wanting her first born child, is that true?” 

He frowned, clearing this throat. “In a manner.” 

Neal scoffed, throwing his hands against his sides. “And you are trying to tell me that that was for my sake? And if it was, you want me to forgive you for doing so?” 

“I have made some mistakes.” Gold admitted. “And yes, as time went on, the dark one’s power began to take over my life and my rational thought. All I wanted was to find you and I was willing to do anything to do it.” 

“Well believe it or not, you killing in my name does not make me feel better.” Neal hissed. 

“It was all for this curse.” Gold went on and Neal narrowed his eyes, eyeing him. “It was the only way to get to you.” 

Neal suddenly felt like he was hit by a truck. “You made the curse.” He ground out. As if his father hadn’t ruined his life enough, it was now his father’s fault that Emma was orphaned, that Emma was forced into a life of crime, that he had to leave Emma, abandon her and send her to jail, and the reason he didn’t know his son for ten years. 

He curled his fists into his sides and could feel the anger rising up in him and suddenly he didn’t care about boundaries. He flew towards his father, stopping just inches from him and staring menacingly down, feeling a sense of power that he was taller than him. Gold’s eyes flew open wide but he didn’t budge and just met Neal’s stare head on. 

“You did this?” Neal growled, thrusting his hand out, pointing out the window toward the town. 

“I created it, but I did not cast it.” Gold answered tensely, eyeing his son. 

Neal ground his teeth together so hard he thought he might break his jaw and he let out a growl as he backed away from his father, storming to the other side of hallway and running his hand through his hair. “You are truly unbelievable, you know that?” He snapped as he whirled around to face him again. “You cursed all these people, destroyed lives, ripped apart families and for what? So you could make peace with the son you abandoned out of your own cowardice?” Neal threw his hands in the air. “What made you possibly think that this would ever get me to forgive you?” 

Gold’s eyes flickered over with regret, pain and shame. “I had to try. If I had the choice to go back and fix what I did to you that night, I would. You mean more to me than my power ever could and I am sorry that we both had to find that out the hard way.” 

Neal shook his head. “Both? As far as I’m concerned you are still that monster who left me.” 

Gold seemed physically pained by that statement, flinching as the word ‘monster’ escaped Neal’s lips. He took a breath and nodded, slowly inching his way toward him. “You’re right, son. I am a coward, I always have been. It’s how I lost your mother and it’s how I lost you. It’s how I lost everything.” 

“Do you want me to pity you, because it’s not going to work.” Neal bit out, fixing a glare on him. “You’re not the only one who lost everything. Because of you, because of this curse, I lost everything that I ever loved.” 

Gold creased his brow in confusion. “What...” 

“Emma.” Neal answered simply. “I loved her. I still love her but because of you and this stupid curse, I had to leave her so she could ‘fulfill her destiny as the savior’ because apparently staying in her life meant she wouldn’t be able to. Now she thinks I abandoned her without a second thought and that hurts because she was honestly the best thing that ever happened to me.” 

Gold was staring at him wide-eyed, shock evident on his face at this new information. “You and Miss Swan...Bae, I had no idea.” 

Neal ignored the name slip, he was too angry to even notice it. “Forget it.” He snapped. “There is nothing you can say that will make this better.” 

His father said nothing, only stared back at him, hurt written in his eyes. Slowly he started to walk forward toward him and Neal tensed but this time did not back away. 

Hesitantly, Gold reached out and gently placed his hand on Neal’s arm. Even through the fabric of his shirt, his father’s touch felt like a burning hot iron and he flinched, glaring down at him. 

“Listen to me.” Gold started and there was a tone he had only heard once before: when he was pleading with the guards to not take him away to the war. It sent a sliver of doubt to his heart but the anger he felt toward him quickly washed it away. 

“Baelfire.” Neal’s upper lip twitched. He knew his father had called him that purposely. Perhaps trying to call back the little boy who still loved his papa. “I know what I have done was wrong, abandoning you, all the people I hurt, creating this curse but you have to know that I love you. My boy...” He gently squeezed Neal’s arm and it took everything within Neal not to push him away. From the short distance they stood, Neal could see the tears beginning to form in his father’s eyes and he rolled his eyes. “My beautiful boy...I have spent my whole life trying to find you. Now that I have...well, its all I ever wanted. To see your face again, even just to know you were alive. I know you’re angry with me...but you are my son...and I hope in time, that may be enough.” 

It was those words that finally broke Neal out of his father’s grasp. “I may be your son, but you are not my father.” 

The tears in his eyes increased, his face falling as his hand remained outstretched toward Neal. “Bae...” 

“It’s Neal!” He growled angrily. “Don’t you understand that? I am not the same person I was back then because you dropped me into this strange land all on my own at fourteen years old. In this land, that’s too young to be on your own! And I couldn’t tell anyone my real name, I couldn’t tell anyone where I was really from because they would think I was insane! I had no identity here. I was thrown into the foster system for two years until I ran away at sixteen because no one wanted a kid who was too afraid to speak. So my name is Neal Cassidy. And you,” He threw a finger at him, “Are not my father for the simple fact that the man I called Papa would not have done all of this. Would not have caused any harm to anyone. Would not have everyone, including his own son, terrified of him!” 

Neal only realized his words when he noticed his father’s shamed face morph into a look of horror. Neal cursed under his breath and turned away from him, running a hand through his hair in frustration. 

He never understood how his father never realized why everyone in their village was so afraid of him. And he certainly never realized how much Baelfire was terrified of him, to do something wrong and have the Dark One’s wrath. Or to have someone make a mistake and do something wrong to him and have them suffer because of it. 

“You were scared of me, Bae?” His voice sounded weak and lost and Neal turned back to him in exasperation. 

“Everyone was scared of you. Do you not realize that? I lost all my friends because no one wanted to be seen with me in fear that you would kill them.” He let out a deep sigh. “Yes, I was scared of you. I was scared of what you had become, the dark power that was taking over my father. And that’s still in you. I’m not a fourteen year old boy anymore, I’ve grown up so I don’t fear you anymore. But I still hate it and until you give that up, until I start seeing my Papa again...you can forget about forgiveness.” 

Gold shook his head slowly. “But I was such a coward...everyone shunned me.” 

Neal sighed. “That didn’t matter to me. I didn’t care what everyone else thought about you. You were my father...my best friend. I didn’t care that you left the war, I didn’t care that the village hated you and thought you were a coward, what I cared about was that you cared about me. And I’d have that coward back any day than the one who left me hanging in that portal.” 

Gold bowed his head, leaning against his cane. “I can’t be that man again.” He muttered. “I lacked the ability to stand up for myself, to stand up for you.” 

Neal scoffed bitterly. “You don’t have to be a coward....you just have to be human.” 

Gold looked up at him, surprise written on his face. 

“But you can’t be that, can you?” Neal whispered, shaking his head. “You just can’t give it up.” 

“Bae...” 

Neal scoffed and turned his back to him, heading towards the door. He took a hold of the doorknob and paused, looking over his shoulder at the silent man standing pathetically at the end of the hallway. “Emma’s debt is paid.” With only those words, he pulled open the door, walked out and slammed the door behind him.


	7. Chapter 7

Neal wasn’t sure where he was going. He had only been in this town for a couple hours at most but honestly, all sense of time was lost on him the moment he entered Storybrooke. 

He roamed the streets, keeping his eyes focused on the ground only occasionally looking around him to find someplace to go. But every time he did, he met the stares of the people around him and that only made him more angry and more uncomfortable than he already was. 

A weight had been lifted off his shoulders now that the inevitable reunion with his father was over but another weight had been placed for the same reason. He now knew his father was in the same town and might eventually come looking for him again. There was no place to escape or hide unless he left Storybrooke all together but something was preventing him from doing so. 

He walked in the streets to avoid contact with anyone on the sidewalks and besides, there were barely any cars on the road anyway. It was such a small town, everyone could walk to their destination with little to no problem. 

It was such a small town in fact that he soon found himself in front of Granny’s Diner, the one place besides Rumplestiltskin’s house that he actually recognized. 

The alcohol Emma had given him was now completely out of his system. The adrenaline coursing through his veins during his entire visit with his father completely flushed it out. And he realized he needed it now more than he did before. 

So he stepped into the diner and was relieved that it was nearly empty. He didn’t need to face more stares. Emma’s parents and Henry were also gone and that took another weight off his shoulders. As much as he did want to get to know his son, now was definitely not the time. And facing Emma’s parents didn’t seem like a thrill either. 

He trudged toward the counter and took a seat at one of the stools. The young woman from before smiled at him as she tended to the few other customers. What was her name? Ruthy? 

When she didn’t approach him after a few moments, doing her job as not only the bartender but the waitress, he threw his arms up on the counter and buried his head there, closing his eyes tightly. 

If he couldn’t have alcohol for the time being then trying to forget the world would have to do. But no matter how hard he tried to concentrate on nothing, his father’s face, his father’s words kept circulating in his head. 

He subconsciously let out a groan and buried his head deeper into his arms, gripping lightly at his hair. 

Then he felt a light touch on his arm and he lifted his head, startled. The woman was standing in front of him, her eyebrows furrowed in concern but a small smile on her lips. “Are you alright?” 

“No.” He muttered with a sigh and she frowned before moving over to the bar. She pulled out a full bottle and grabbed a clean glass and walked back over to him. She set both down in front of him, opened the bottle and with a smile, pushed it toward him. 

He straightened up in surprise, looking at the bottle and then to her. 

“It’s on the house.” She told him and he blinked at her and she laughed, nodding toward the bottle. “Seriously, don’t worry about it. You look like you need it.” 

He allowed a slight twitch of his lips in gratitude and wrapped his hand around the bottle, pulling it close to him. “Thanks.” 

She nodded with a smile and then returned to her other customers. 

Neal considered drinking straight out of the bottle but even as down as he was, he was more classy than that. So he reached for the glass she had set out for him, filled it near to the brim and then downed it in one go. 

He let out a sigh as the alcohol burned through his veins and he could already feel the tension slipping away from his body. 

He took it a little bit slower after that, nursing his glass and taking a few sips at a time. He observed the small little diner quietly, eyeing anyone who came in the door to see if maybe he’d recognize them. So far he hadn’t but he figured it had been a very long time since he had been in that world. 

It was a little later when the diner was almost completely empty except for a couple of people enjoying their meals, his bottle was a little more than half empty and the effects were already beginning to take a hold of him. He normally held his liquor pretty well and could take several drinks before feeling the buzz but he wanted it to this time, so he let it. 

The woman from before didn’t have much to do at the moment so she was leaning against the counter across from him and eyeing him curiously. “What’s your name?” She asked suddenly. 

His brow furrowed as he looked at her, feeling a momentary lack of knowledge. Surely he wasn’t that drunk that he couldn’t remember his own name. 

“Neal.” He finally supplied and with his free hand, reached out to her. So far she was the only person who didn’t give him any sort of judgmental look so he had to extend his courtesy. 

She smiled and reached out to shake his hand. “I’m Ruby.” 

Ruby, yes that was the name Emma called her. 

“Well thank you again, Ruby for this.” He lifted his glass. “I can pay for it though.” 

Ruby shook her head. “There’s no need, really. Consider it a welcome gift.” 

Neal’s lips curled into a half smile and he tilted the glass toward her. “Cheers.” He downed the rest of what was in his glass and immediately went to pour more. 

“So,” Neal let out a breath and put his glass down after another long swig, “You’re not going to ask what happened?” 

Ruby shrugged. “I figured you didn’t want to talk about it.” 

“You’re right, I don’t.” 

“So I didn’t ask.” She smiled at him warmly and he returned it. 

“I thought you’d be curious, like everyone else seems to be in this town.” 

Ruby shook her head. “I know what its like to be misjudged by something you can’t control.” She tilted her head. “You may be his son, but you’re nothing like him.” 

Neal blinked at her in surprise. Here was this woman who barely knew him but still didn’t take his biology into consideration, only saw the person that he was. “Who are you? From that world, I mean. If you don’t mind me asking.” 

Ruby smiled and shook her head. “Of course not. They call me Red.” 

Neal’s brow creased in thought. He was wracking his brain of all the fairytale he’d read and the only one that popped into his head was: “Little red riding hood?” 

Ruby smirked and let out a breath of laughter. “Yeah, but I’m not exactly the fairytale you remember.” 

Neal shrugged. “Who is?” Then the name of the diner hit him and he snorted. “Granny’s Diner...I should have realized.” 

Ruby laughed with him. “Yeah, this town sure likes its cliches.” 

“I bet.” He murmured, taking another drink. 

She smiled at him. “Well it was nice talking to you, Neal. I do have to get back to work though.” 

“Sure, of course.” He waved his hand and she nodded to him before leaving the counter to cater to her other customers. 

Neal returned to his glass and smiled past another sip. If he was going to stay in this town at least he knew he had one friend. 

\---

Neal stayed until the sky had been dark for hours and there was no one left in the diner except for him and Ruby who was cleaning up and had closed the diner not too long ago. 

She did everything she was supposed to, swept, cleaned the tables and finished the last of the dishes before coming back over to Neal. 

Once again his head was buried in his arms and beside him his bottle was empty and his glass was just a quarter filled and Ruby shook her head, taking off her apron and placing it on the shelf below the counter. Then she came out from behind the counter and walked up to stand beside Neal, reaching out to gently nudge him awake. 

“Neal.” She shook his shoulders and he bolted upright, nearly falling off his stool in the process. 

“I didn’doit thi’time officer, I swear!” Neal drunkenly slurred as Ruby reached out to steady him and she chuckled. 

Neal blinked, getting his bearings and trying to see past his blurry vision. His head tilted back as he saw Ruby so close to him and then he smiled dopily. “Hey, I know you.” 

Ruby shook her head, trying to keep the smirk off her face. “Yeah, I know you too, Neal. You’re in my diner, remember? You’ve been here for hours.” 

“Have I?” He mumbled, blinking in confusion and his head flopped to the side as he noticed the empty bottle and pointed to it. “Did I drink all of that?” He slurred. 

“Yes you did.” Ruby answered and patted his shoulder. “But don’t worry, you needed it.” 

Neal frowned and nodded his head vigorously. “My father’s a jackass.” 

“I know.” She replied sympathetically and slipped her arm around his shoulder. “Come on, lets get you out of here. Do you have any place to stay?” 

Neal’s brow creased together and his lips pursed out, trying to coax his alcohol soaked brain into working order and he shifted, reaching into his pockets and pulling out a slip of paper and thrusting it toward her. 

Ruby took it from him and read the address, her eyebrow lifting. “You’re staying with Emma?” 

The smile instantly returned to his face and he hummed quietly. “Emma.” 

“Oh boy.” Ruby muttered and moved to wrap her arm around Neal. “Alright, let’s get you to Emma.” 

With Ruby’s help and just a few stumbles as he tried to stand on his feet, Neal made it out of the diner. Ruby had his arm around her shoulder and her arm around his back as she supported him, walking the distance from the diner to Snow’s apartment. 

When they reached the building and Ruby continued to help him up the stairs, Neal turned to her, wonder written in his eyes. “You’re really strong.” 

She half smiled. “Well I am part wolf.” 

Neal let out a spluttering laugh. “Sure, and I’m part gorilla.” 

She cast him an amused look. “Well right now, you sure do look it.” 

Neal continued to drunken giggle all the way up the stairs and Ruby let out a sigh as she loosened her hold on him just enough to let her muscles relax and reach out to knock on the door. She really hoped Snow would not kill her for this. 

A few seconds later the door opened and a little more than surprised Snow was standing there. Ruby smiled sheepishly as Snow eyed the obviously drunk man at her best friend’s side. 

“Red....?” Snow questioned. 

“Blue!” Neal countered and both women ignored him. 

Ruby sighed and sent her friend an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, Snow but he said he was staying here. Is Emma around?” 

Snow nodded. “Yeah, she just got home. I’ll go get her.” She shot Neal and unsure glance and then disappeared. 

She returned about thirty seconds later with Emma in tow and the young blonde groaned at seeing the intoxicated Neal. “What the hell...” 

Neal’s head lifted at the sound of Emma’s voice and he looked at her with a grin. “Hey Emma!” 

Emma rolled her eyes and stepped forward to take him from Ruby. “Thanks Ruby.” She dragged the incapacitated Neal into the apartment and Ruby smiled softly. 

“You’ve got him from here?” Ruby asked. 

Emma grunted as Neal leaned all his weight on her and she gently shoved him off, holding onto his arm to keep him steady. “Yeah, I got him.” 

Ruby nodded. “Alright, goodnight!” She waved to mother and daughter and Snow and Emma bid her goodnight in return and then Snow closed the door. 

As soon as the door was closed she turned and shot her daughter an exasperated look. Emma shrugged helplessly, “I don’t know what he’s doing here!” 

Snow sighed quietly. “What are you going to do with him?” 

Emma glanced sideways at Neal whose head was rested on her shoulder, looking like he could pass out at any second. “Well I can’t just kick him out on the street. Just for tonight, he’ll stay here.” 

Snow’s nose crinkled but she didn’t protest. Emma elbowed Neal in the side and he shot up, looking around wide eyed. 

“Let’s go, Neal.” Emma said tensely, threading her arm through his and dragging him up the small flight of stairs to her bedroom. With a groan she helped him onto the bed and he sprawled himself out, his head instantly finding her pillow.

Emma frowned, placing her hands on her hips as she stared down at him, slowly shaking her head. 

A few moments later the sound of quick footsteps sounded up the stairs and soon a wide-eyed Henry was at her side. He was already dressed in his PJ’s, just getting ready to go to bed. 

“Is he alright?” Henry wondered and Emma sighed, reaching out to wrap her arm around Henry’s shoulder. “Yeah kid, he just drank too much.” 

Henry looked up at her, tilting his head. “Is he going to be sleeping here?” 

“Unfortunately.” Emma muttered, narrowing her eyes at Neal who had already started to snore. 

“Where are we going to sleep?” Henry asked. Emma sighed again and walked to the other side of the room, gathering a few pillows and blankets in her arms and then walking back to Henry. “I guess its the couch for us tonight.” 

“Okay.” Henry shrugged and turned to head down the stairs. Emma shook her head and followed after him, throwing the pillows and blankets onto the couch. 

David frowned as he stepped out of the bathroom and saw his daughter and grandson setting up the couch. “What’s going on?” 

“We have an unexpected guest.” Snow answered from the kitchen where she was heating up some water. 

David looked from his wife back to his daughter, tilting his head in confusion. 

“Look, its no big deal, alright?” Emma shot, putting one of the pillows at the end of the couch. “It’s just for tonight, Neal needed a place to stay.” 

“Neal?” David asked, a mixture of surprise and a little bit of concern entering his tone. “Rumplestiltskin’s son is staying here?” 

Emma cast him a look. “It’s just for one night, David. He’s not going to do anything, believe me. He out like a rock.” 

“He drank too much.” Henry announced and all three pairs of eyes turned to him, two of which in silent horror and shock. At his grandparent’s stare, Henry shrugged. “What? That’s what Emma said.” 

Emma rolled her eyes and gently pushed Henry onto the couch. “Go to sleep kid.” 

\-------

Neal awoke feeling more than just a little disoriented. His head pounded and spun as he tried to lift his head and the light streaming in through the windows only made it worse. He groaned and covered his head with his hands, burying his face back into the pillow. He inhaled and an overwhelming, slightly familiar scent filled his nostrils. 

Through the fogginess of his mind he was eventually able to recognize it as Emma’s and he smiled to himself and snuggled into the pillow, allowing his muscles to relax. 

“Hello.” 

Instantly his muscles tensed again at the unfamiliar voice. He slowly lifted his head to avoid the head rush that was no doubt going to happen and through slightly blurred vision spotted a brown haired boy standing next to the bed, smiling down at him. 

He blinked a few times, waiting for his vision to clear and when it finally did, his eyes widened. He had only seen a picture and met him once but he would never forget his own son’s face. 

He quickly sat up, instantly regretting it and closing his eyes with a groan as his head spun. He buried his head in his hands for a long moment until it stopped and then he ran his fingers through his hair and ran his hands over his face, then dropping his hands to his lap and staring back at the grinning boy. 

Neal narrowed his eyes slightly, eyeing Henry curiously. He wasn’t sure how much the boy knew but he doubted Emma told him anything. “Henry, right?” 

Henry nodded. “And you’re Neal.” 

Neal’s lips twitched slightly. “Yeah, that’s me.” 

“So how do you know my mom?” Henry asked suddenly and Neal’s eyes widened. What was he supposed to tell the boy? I’m your long lost father who abandoned both you and your mother, sending her to jail, leaving her on her own for ten years? Emma would probably kill him. Henry would probably hate him. No, he’d leave that information aside for now. 

“We were friends.” Neal answered simply. “A long time ago.” 

Henry nodded, seeming to be pleased with that answer but then his brow creased together in thought. “If you’re Rumplestiltskin’s son, did you know that Emma was the savior?” 

Neal clenched his jaw tightly and his head seemed to hurt more at the memory he had tried to repress with all that alcohol. He didn’t want to be reminded of his talk with his father, or that he was even related to Rumplestiltskin at all. 

But this was his son. How could he deny him conversation? 

“I did and I didn’t.” He finally answered and Henry cocked his head in confusion, the adorable way Emma always had and he found himself smiling. 

“When I first met her I didn’t know who she was.” Neal went on. “But eventually I did.” 

“How?” 

Neal pressed his lips together. As much as he did love talking to his son he didn’t particularly like where the conversation was headed. He was not prepared to talk about August, to talk about how he left Emma, to talk about any of that. 

“You ask a lot of questions, kid.” 

Henry’s face grew sheepish and he pushed his shoulders up to his ears. “Sorry.” He sighed and walked over to plop himself down beside Neal and Neal’s heart leapt into his throat. “Emma says I’m too nosy.” 

Neal smirked and found himself inching closer to Henry. “That’s not always a bad thing. You’re just very curious. And maybe someday when we know each other a little better, I’ll tell you the whole story.” 

Henry’s face lit back up. “That’d be great!” 

“Yeah?” Neal smiled and felt his heart swell at the sight of his son’s smile. He never thought a child’s smile could make him feel so whole. He couldn’t wait for the day that Henry knew the whole truth, or at least knew he was his father. 

Henry nodded eagerly and then hopped off the bed. “Oh!” He walked over to the nightstand beside the bed and Neal followed his motions. “My mom laid these out for you. She said you’d need them.” 

A glass of water and two little pills sat on the wood and he smiled. Despite what Emma said, he thought she did still care about him. “Thanks.” He murmured and reached for them, popping them both into his mouth and washing them down with water although he wasn’t sure if he even needed them anymore. The headache had started to lessen the more he talked to Henry. 

“Where is your mom?” Neal asked after he placed the glass back down. 

“She’s at work.” Henry replied. “But its sunday and she gets to leave early so she’ll be home around dinner time.” 

Neal nodded gently and looked around the room. It was then he noticed that the whole apartment was eerily quiet and he looked back to Henry. “Are you here by yourself?” 

Henry shot him a look. “I’m almost eleven. I can be by myself.” 

Eleven. He never thought an innocent number could hurt so much. He had missed eleven years of his son’s life and those were years he’d never get back. 

“Gramps is at work with mom.” Henry continued. “And Grandma just went to the store, she’ll be back soon.” 

Neal just nodded, staring back at Henry quietly. He wondered what Henry’s first steps were like, did he stumble and fall until he got it right or did he stand with no problem? What was his first word? What was he like on his first day of school? All these things and Neal never got to see them. 

Henry’s face twisted in confusion the longer Neal stared at him in complete silence. And Henry couldn’t be sure, but he thought the older man almost looked sad. 

Henry slowly walked toward him and hesitantly placed his hand on Neal’s knee. “What’s wrong?” 

The question stirred Neal out of his wistful thoughts and smiled softly, shaking his head. “It’s just my head.” Which wasn’t exactly a lie, whatever pain killer Emma had left out for him had not yet kicked in. 

Henry didn’t look convinced and Neal’s smile grew slightly. Emma was right, he was very clever and very stubborn. 

Feeling a little daring, Neal reached out to placed his hand on Henry’ shoulder, giving it a little reassuring squeeze. “Seriously, kid. It’s just a headache.” 

“Alright...” He knew that tone of voice and knew Henry would not be letting it go for good. 

Subconsciously, Neal felt his thumb brushing up affectionately over Henry’s cheek and his eyes widened slightly once he realized what he was doing and he quickly pulled back, clearing his throat. “So, you got a shower around here?” 

Henry nodded, apparently having not noticed Neal’s unusual display of affection, just smiling as he took a few steps toward the stairs. “It’s downstairs, I’ll show you.” 

Neal’s head spun once again as he rose quickly off the bed and pressed his palm against his forehead, closing his eyes until it stopped. Then he slowly followed Henry down the stairs and to the bathroom. 

Henry pulled open a small closet next to the bathroom door and pulled out a towel for him and Neal smiled as he took it from him. “Thanks, kid.” 

Henry’s brow twitched in an odd mixture of amusement and confusion. 

“What?” Neal questioned, seeing his look. 

“My mom calls me that.” Henry shrugged. “She’s the only one who does.” 

Neal smiled warmly. “Now two of us do, if you don’t mind.” 

Henry shook his head, a grin splitting across his lips. “I don’t care. I like it.” 

“Alright.” Neal nodded. “Good.” 

Father and son continued to smile at each other before Neal realized why they had come down there in the first place. “Oh, ah, yeah...I’m just gonna-” He pointed to the bathroom and Henry smirked, one very similar to Emma’s and nodded before walking off towards the couch. 

Neal smiled to himself as he watched him go and then stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. 

It was about fifteen minutes later when he popped his head out the door, droplets of water dripping off his hair and onto his bare chest. “Uh, Henry?” 

Henry looked up from where he was watching TV at the sound of Neal’s voice. “Yeah?” He called back. 

“Is there a black suitcase out there by any chance?” 

Henry hopped off the couch and looked around the main floor and then shook his head as he turned back to Neal. “Nope.” 

“Great.” Neal muttered. 

“You don’t have any clothes do you?” 

Neal cleared his throat. “Afraid not.” 

Henry smirked again. “You could probably wear some of my grandpa’s clothes. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.” Henry was already making his way over to the dresser in his grandparent’s area. 

Neal pressed his lips together, biting back a comment. There could be loads of reasons why grandpa Charming would not want him wearing his clothes but he was not about to stay in a towel until Emma got home. 

Henry came running over and handed him some clothes and Neal smiled wryly muttering a thank you and then disappearing back into the bathroom. 

A few minutes later he came out, frowning as he pulled at the shirt. It fit him pretty nicely and Emma would get a kick out of it, he was sure but he on the other hand, was not very happy with it. 

He would not have taken prince Charming as the type to wear flannel. 

Thank Goodness Henry didn’t see the amusement in it as he just smiled happily as Neal walked out and then returned to looking at the TV. 

Neal grunted as he ran his fingers through his damp hair and walked over to stand behind the couch. 

He jumped when the door suddenly opened and Snow walked in carrying a few bags full of groceries. She froze, her eyes widening at seeing Neal in her husband’s clothes. 

Neal swallowed and cast a half smile at the woman who, no doubt by the way she was looking at him, knew exactly who he was to Emma. 

Snow shook her head quickly and put a hesitant but friendly smile on her lips as she walked into the apartment, closing the door behind her. “Good afternoon.” She greeted sweetly. 

Afternoon? Neal quickly stole a glance at the clock and frowned as he realized it was indeed afternoon. 

“Hi Grandma!” Henry turned and waved over the couch. 

“Good afternoon.” He greeted back kindly and walked over to her quickly, observing that one of the bags was falling out of her arms. “Here, let me help you with that.” He carefully took the bag out of her arms. 

Their eyes met and she was giving him a look that clearly said: Don’t try to suck up to me. But her eyes, green just like Emma’s, also danced with amusement and she thanked him quietly and together they walked over to the kitchen, placing the bags down on the table. 

“Did you sleep well?” Snow asked casually as she began to unpack the bags. 

“Yes, very well.” He rubbed the back of his neck, smiling slightly. “And uh, thank you for letting me stay. I know turning up like that was a bit rude.” 

Snow cast a slight smirk over her shoulder at him. “You should thank Emma.” She said pointedly. 

“I will.” Neal nodded and Snow eyed him for a moment before continuing to unpack. 

It grew awkwardly silent after that, the only sounds being the sound effects coming from the cartoon Henry was watching, his occasional burst of laughter and the sounds of Snow putting away the groceries. 

Neal stood in the center of the room, his arms crossed lightly over his chest as he glanced back and forth between the television and Snow, who currently seemed to be ignoring him. 

But finally after just a few more minutes of the painfully awkward silence, Snow turned to face him. “Are you hungry?” 

Neal’s shoulders loosened slightly as he smiled softly and nodded. “Starved.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to take a quick note to clarify some points brought up in the comments. In the canon of this story Neal/Baelfire did not go to Neverland. This beginning chapters of this story were actually written before the show even confirmed that Neal was Baelfire (shows how long I've been trying to write it, oops) Hence why it is sort of an alternate spin on 'Manhattan' and Neal and Emma's reunion. When Baelfire went through the portal he landed in our world, somewhere in the 1990's, putting Neal in his early 20's when he meets Emma in 2001. He never went to Neverland, never met Hook, never met the Darlings. Hope this clarifies any confusion. Thank you and carry on reading!

Emma was usually thrilled on sundays because she didn’t have to stay late at the office.  After 5pm on Sundays she could go home and her pager would be on just incase there was an emergency, but there usually wasn’t.

 

But this Sunday, she was actually dreading it. When Neal turned up at the apartment drunk last night she didn’t know what to think. In giving him her address she expected a fuming Neal, maybe even a broken Neal who needed a shoulder to cry on and she’d give him a few hours to talk to her and then she’d send him on his merry way to Granny’s Inn. What she did not want was for him to pass out in her bed and spend the night there in the eyes of their son no less. Granted, Henry wasn’t aware of Neal’s relation to him but she was and that was more than enough to upset her.

 

And what was worse she knew David was dying to ask her about it. She could feel his stare on her all day and she always gave him some excuse whenever he did attempt to bring it up.

 

Having her father as her deputy was exactly how she expected it to be. She did love having a deputy and David was really helpful but there were times that his actions reminded her that he was indeed her father. But thankfully he seemed to eventually get the message and stopped trying to ask but she knew it was constantly on his mind.

 

He was already proving  himself to be a bit of an overprotective father and she didn’t want to think about what he’d do to Neal when he found out the truth about their past. (though honestly, a part of her did get pleasure out of thinking what David would do to Neal...if she couldn’t make him pay than somebody would.)

 

But it was bound to come out sooner or later especially because Emma knew Neal would want to get to know Henry as his father. And she wasn’t sure how long her mother could keep her mouth shut either.

 

And now she sat behind the wheel of her yellow bug, her father in the passenger seat, an awkward silence falling on them as she drove home. She could feel David’s stare on her and she frowned, quickly becoming very uncomfortable.

 

“What?” She eventually snapped, quickly turning her head to look at him and his brow rose silently and her lips twitched in a slightly apologetic smile.

 

“Sorry, what?” She asked more calmly. “You’ve been staring at me all day and it’s getting kind of weird.”

 

David sighed quietly, shifting in his seat as he turned to face her more. “It’s just....I know you’re sheriff and you probably inherited your mother’s gracious heart but I am finding it a little hard to believe you’d just let Rumplestiltskin’s son into our home. I know you aren’t really aware of our past with him but you’ve been around Gold enough to know-”

 

Emma cut him off with a sharp look. “Just because he’s his son doesn’t mean he’s evil.” Emma had issues with Neal and for a long time thought he was a no good thief but the truth being revealed about everything made her rethink her stand on Neal. She was still angry with him but she hardly would consider him evil, he was just another innocent victim of the Dark One.

 

David crinkled his brow curiously. “There’s something more, isn’t there? Your mother knows something and she’s not telling me.”

 

Emma turned an inquisitive look on him and he smiled fondly, lightly shrugging his shoulders. “Snow never has been very good at keeping secrets. She hasn’t told me yet but I know when she’s hiding something from me.”

 

Emma frowned, clenching her jaw. “You have to promise you won’t freak out.”

 

David narrowed his eyes slightly, eyeing her carefully. “Alright...”

 

She gave him a look. “I’m serious. No going protective father prince charming on me.”

 

“Emma...” In all her life Emma never thought she’d hear that warning fatherly tone.

 

Emma sighed heavily, making sure to avoid his gaze. “I know him.” Her fingers tapped anxiously against the steering wheel. “He’s my ex.”

 

David’s brow shot up as his eyes widened. “Ex...”

 

“Boyfriend.” She confirmed and heard him let out a breath.

 

“You dated Rumplestiltskin’s son?”

 

She chewed softly on her lower lip. She could already hear the tension in his voice and he hadn’t even heard the worst of it all.

 

Emma pulled into the parking lot near the apartment building, put the car into park and then turned to her father with a sigh. “Yes, I did. I didn’t know who he was, I didn’t even know who I was so back then we were just Emma and Neal.”

 

David pressed his lips together. “There’s something more isn’t there?”

 

Emma once again let out a heavy sigh and nodded reluctantly, her face scrunching up as she confessed. “He’s Henry’s father.”

 

“He’s _what?”_ David leaned toward her, his eyes wide.

 

Emma held out her hands. “Remember, no protective father prince charming.”

 

“Emma.” He groaned, leaning back and ran his hand over his hair.

 

Emma eyed him carefully. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

 

He lifted his head and looked her in the eye. “Not that big of a deal? Do you have any idea what this means? Henry is Rumplestiltskin’s grandson.” He groaned again as the realization suddenly hit him and he rubbed his temples. “Henry is Rumplestiltskin’s grandson.” He repeated.

 

Emma undid her seat belt and turned to face him all the way, hesitantly reaching out to touch his shoulder. “If it helps, I don’t think Gold knows yet. I know Neal had a talk with him yesterday and that’s most likely the reason he showed up last night drunk off his ass but Neal only just found out himself.”

 

David dropped his hand and turned to look at her, his eyes flickering with a hint of anger. “Neal didn’t know about Henry?”

 

Emma could see where David’s mind was heading and she jumped quickly to reassure him. “Yes but its not his fault. Well that’s not entirely true, it is his fault but it’s not just his fault.” She sighed. “It’s complicated.”

 

David narrowed his eyes skeptically and she could tell he wanted to know more but she was not about to tell her father her crappy life story in her car. “I’ll tell you everything, I promise. But not right now.”

 

She smiled hesitantly and squeezed his shoulder before climbing out of the car without another word. She heard him release a loud sigh and then he followed her out.

 

She leaned across the top of the car, gazing over at him seriously. “Neal is no doubt still there, so can you please act like this conversation never happened?”

 

He gave her a look. “How do you expect me to do that, Emma?”

 

“I know it won’t be easy just don’t tear his head off. He’s having enough issues with his own father, he doesn’t need mine on his tail.”

 

David’s face softened, Emma referring to him as her father always had that affect on him, and he nodded. “Alright.” He relented. “But for you, not for him.”

 

Emma let a small, gracious smile cross her lips. “Thank you.”

 

He returned the smile and then they both headed into the building and up the stairs toward their apartment.

 

As they neared the door, they could hear the sound of low chatter and laughter. David instantly recognized his wife’s and grandson’s but the other was unfamiliar but to Emma it wasn’t. Neal’s laughter resonated down to Emma’s core, back to a place she had found herself a lot lately, a place where she was dumb in love and too young to care. She pushed that unwanted fluttering in the pit of her stomach back and shared a look with David before opening the door.

 

The scene before her made her breath catch in her throat and the fluttering in her stomach increase tenfold. Henry and Neal stood side by side in the kitchen over a large pot on the stove, both with matching smiles on their faces, Henry putting various chopped up food items into the pot as Neal stirred.

 

For a brief moment the domestic scene played out as a could have been in her head. Neal and Henry preparing dinner as she came home late from work in their home in Tallahassee.

 

It was only broken when she heard the tinkling laugh of her mother who was standing near by, watching them in amusement.

 

“You two have no idea what you’re doing, do you?”

 

“I can cook!” Neal protested, not looking up from the pot.

 

“It’s just soup, grandma.” Henry added, turning his head to look at her and thats when he noticed Emma and David and a bright smile lit up his face. “Mom!”

 

The word caught Neal and Snow’s attention and they both turned their head to the doorway where Emma and David stood in shock.

 

Neal’s lips twitched in a small smile as he eyed Emma and her father, who he now realized was staring at him like a predator and he was his prey. And Neal doubted it was just because he was wearing his clothes.

 

Henry jumped off the chair he was standing on and ran over to Emma to hug her hello. Emma shook her head slightly as her son’s arms surrounded her and she gently hugged him back.

 

“How was your day, kid?” Emma asked after their hug broke.

 

“Great!” Henry beamed. “Neal and I had lots of fun. He’s a cool guy.”

 

Emma swallowed thickly and briefly glanced over to Neal who had a small but warm smile on his lips as he watched them.

 

“Yeah.” She murmured quietly, neither confirming nor denying Henry’s statement. But her response caused a small grin to light up Neal’s face as he leaned against the island.

 

Emma rolled her eyes slightly and then went to take off her jacket and hang it up, catching her father’s eye as she turned around caught how he was eyeing Neal. She brushed her hand up against his arm as she passed him to go to the coat rack and he broke his stare off Neal to follow her and she gave him a subtle glance. He pursed his lips and huffed quietly before hanging up his own jacket.

 

“Nice outfit.” Emma remarked dryly, shooting Neal a slight smirk as she walked over.

 

He narrowed his eyes playfully, giving her a smirk in return. “My actual clothes are still in your trunk. Henry was nice enough to lend me some of your father’s clothes.” Neal’s eyes roamed over to David who was slowly walking over to them. “I hope you don’t mind.”

 

David forced a small smile to his lips. “It’s just clothes, right?”

 

“Right.” Neal echoed with a nod.

 

Emma glanced between them, she could practically hear the tension rolling off of both of them. She was glad David was respecting her wishes and not ripping Neal’s head off but she knew it wouldn’t be long before Neal said something that made him.

 

Snow cleared her throat and walked over to them, slipping her arm around her husband and smiling at them, trying to break the awkward tension. “So how was work?”

 

“Boring.” Emma sighed, mostly out of relief and sent her mother a grateful look and Snow sent a small, curt nod in return.

 

“Yes.” David agreed and his shoulders visibly relaxed as he smiled down at his wife. “Storybrooke is small enough to barely have any trouble...which is both good and bad.”

 

Emma smirked as she looked at her parents. “Truthfully I don’t know how he was a prince. He is absolutely terrible with paperwork.”

 

“Hey!” David pretended to be offended but was not so secretly thrilled with his daughter’s teasing. “First of all, I grew up as a shepherd. I’m used to doing work all hours of daylight.”

 

“And second of all,” Snow piped in with an affectionate grin, “I handled the political aspect of ruling a kingdom.”

 

“Some of it.” David corrected and Snow shot him a look and he grinned sheepishly down at her. “Mostly all.” He continued and she beamed up at him, humming quietly.

 

“That’s better.” She placed her free hand over his chest and perched up onto her toes, leaning up to meet his lips in a kiss.

 

Emma groaned loudly but couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “Can you not do that while children are around?”

 

Snow and David parted with laughter and Snow rested her head against his shoulder, both smiling at their daughter.

 

Neal watched the scene before him, the family who had seemed, if only just for a minute, to forget he was there. He smiled sadly, watching Emma’s face, how it lit up with a smile whenever she looked at her parents. He knew it was something she always wanted and he was so happy that she finally found it.

 

Once upon a time they were pair of thieves, a pair of kids who had no one but each other. Now Emma had found her family and was more than happy with them. But he had found his father and almost wish he hadn’t...because being alone was almost better than facing the man who had hurt him so long ago.

 

Neal looked down at the counter, scratching his nails lightly along the surface trying not to intrude on their family moment. He didn’t belong with his father that much was certain in his head and Emma wanted nothing to do with him and Henry didn’t even know about the truth of their relationship. He felt an uncomfortable twisting in the pit of his stomach as he realized, though he had found his father, though he had found Emma, he was still alone.

 

Neal quietly turned back to the stove and gave the soup a good stirring though it hardly needed so much. Emma and her parents continued a light conversation while he stared into the yellowy broth.

 

He jumped slightly when a mop of brown hair popped up beside him and Henry’s smiling face peered down at the soup. “Is it done?” He asked, looking eagerly up to Neal.

 

A smile instantly returned to Neal’s face. “Why? You hungry?” He asked in amusement.

 

Henry nodded quickly and Neal let out a rumble of a laugh before lifting the spoon up and moving it slowly toward Henry. “Taste it and see.”

 

Henry’s brow lifted in surprise and Neal gave him an encouraging nod and lifted the spoon close to Henry’s lips. Henry gave him one last glance before pressing his mouth the spoon and slurping up some of the soup. His little brow furrowed as he tasted it in his mouth and swallowed and looked up to Neal with a grin. “It tastes good to me!”

 

“Yeah?” Neal returned the grin and took the rest of what was in the spoon into his mouth and nodded in agreement. “You’re right, very good.” He placed the spoon down beside the stove and switched off the boiler.

 

He turned around and his face fell as he saw all three of the Charmings staring at him. David was eyeing him curiously with slightly narrowed eyes as if he was deciding whether or not to like him. Snow’s eyes also held curiosity but more of a light curiosity and a small smile on her lips as if she was happily surprised by his actions. And then Emma, who way back when he could read easier than anybody, was almost completely unreadable. But if he looked hard enough he thought he saw traces of affection in her eyes.

 

Neal’s lips twitched in a small smile as he motioned to the pot. “Soup’s ready.”

 

\-----

 

Dinner was only a little bit awkward, a lot less than any of them would have expected. It was quiet at first, with everyone sharing looks and not much else. Henry sat confused, not fully understanding why everyone was so awkward but thinking it must have to do with either the fact that Neal was Mr. Gold’s son or that he was Emma’s friend a long time ago.

 

It was finally Snow who broke the silence and started to ask Neal about his life in New York City and both Neal and Emma relaxed in relief that the topic of conversation was generic.

 

After that the tension started to dissipate and for that brief time it seemed like it could be normal. Neal charmed the whole table but even he knew it wouldn’t last but he wanted to enjoy it while he could.

 

After dinner, Snow and David collected all the bowls and glasses and went over to the kitchen to do the dishes. Henry went off to use the bathroom, leaving Neal and Emma alone at the table.

 

The two sat across from each other and the awkward tension that had disappeared through their meal was suddenly back. Emma played with the edges of the table cloth, trying to avoid Neal’s gaze as best as possible.

 

The whole weekend had been a whirlwind of feelings for her and she did not particularly like the feelings she was getting now. Neal had charmed her son, their son, Neal had charmed her parents, or at least her mother, Emma knew her father would need a little bit more convincing than just a nice dinner together, and she hated him for it. But what annoyed her the most was that it wasn’t the hate she had felt for ten years. It was a different hate, it was a hate for making her feel something other than hate towards him.

 

She wasn’t sure how much longer she could stand being in his presence and what that would do for her sanity.

 

So after a few dreadful minutes of silence between them, Emma cleared her throat and stood up, catching everyone’s attention.

 

“Well, uh, that was some good soup.” She nodded uncomfortably, flickering her gaze down to Neal and sending him a half smile. “Thanks.”

 

Neal smiled slightly in return and nodded his head. Emma bit down on her lip and shared a look with her parents before looking back at Neal. “Can we talk?”

 

Neal nodded and rose quickly from his seat and Emma walked with him over to the other side of the apartment, speaking quietly.

 

“Look, I know I gave you an invitation to come here but...”

 

“I overstayed my welcome, I know.” Neal finished with a small smile. “It was stupid and rude of me to come here and I really appreciate that you let me. But I know I have to leave.”

 

Emma crossed her arms lightly over her chest and nodded. “Yeah, uh, right. Um...Granny has an inn, I can drive you over there if you want.”

 

“That’d be great, thanks.” He smiled warmly and their eyes met and locked. Emma’s eyes widened slightly and she felt her mouth go suddenly dry and swallowed over the the lump in her throat.

 

Quickly, she turned to the sound of the bathroom door opening and moved away from Neal to address Henry. “Hey kid! Neal is leaving, you wanna say goodbye?”

 

Henry’s face fell as he jogged over, looking up at Neal and Emma’s heart broke at the look in his eyes. Henry didn’t even know Neal was his father and hadn’t even known him for a day and was already attached. “You’re leaving Storybrooke?”

 

Neal’s eyes widened slightly as he realized what Henry had thought and he reached over instantly, ruffling his hair to reassure him. He wanted to tell him that he’d never leave him, not for anything but he went with a simpler answer for now. “No, kid, I’m not leaving Storybrooke.”

 

“He’ll be at Granny’s.” Emma said and Henry’s face lit up in relief and he nodded.

 

“Oh alright! See you around, Neal?”

 

Neal affectionately rubbed the back of his head and sent him a quick wink. “You better believe it, kid.”

 

Henry grinned and the two shared a fist bump before Henry ran over to help his grandparents. Emma waved to her parents, grabbed her keys and coat off the hook and then left with Neal.

 

They got into the car silently and Emma let out a sigh as she took off in the direction toward Granny’s.

 

“You were right.” Neal broke the silence a minute later and Emma turned to look at him, raising her brow silently and he smiled. “Henry’s a great kid.”

 

Emma smiled to herself and nodded. “Yeah he is.” She licked her lips before looking back over to him. “And you two seem to really hit it off.”

 

A brighter smile lit up his face. “I love him already, Emma. I never knew how much I wanted to be a father until I got to spend time with him.”

 

Emma swallowed thickly and forced her eyes to focus on the road ahead of her. She felt no guilt about Neal not being able to be there for the first ten years of Henry’s life because it was Neal’s fault that he left her. What she did feel guilty about was lying to Henry about Neal. She was going to tell him, she had to, Neal had a much of a right to Henry as she did and seeing how well they interacted with each other, she couldn’t keep that from either of them.

 

Neal didn’t understand Emma’s silence but he didn’t mention it and for the rest of the five minute trip, they were completely silent.

 

Emma pulled up in front of Granny’s inn and they both got out of the car. Emma opened the trunk and pulled out Neal’s suitcase and handed it to him silently. He thanked her and she nodded and started to walk towards Granny’s.

 

Neal furrowed his brow as he watched her go. As far as he thought she was just going to drive him there. He followed after her, caught up with her and looked down at her inquisitively. “What are you doing?”

 

Emma pressed her lips together and sighed. “I need to talk to you.” She answered tensely. “And I figured you’d want to be in your room to do it.”

 

Neal frowned heavily, narrowing his eyes as he followed her inside. He didn’t like the sound of her tone and whatever she was going to talk to him about was serious.

 

Emma walked over to the desk and Granny immediately smiled at seeing her. “Emma.” She greeted sweetly. “What can I do for you, darling?”

 

Emma smiled at the nice old woman and then motioned to Neal. “Not for me, Granny. Neal here needs a place to stay for a couple weeks.”

 

Granny eyed Neal skeptically and Neal tensed his jaw wondering if this woman would refuse him a room because of his biological roots. Emma must have been thinking the same because she smiled reassuringly and shook her head. “He’s okay, trust me. He won’t do anything.”

 

Granny let out a soft sigh but nodded and reached for a key. “Your room is number 10.” She said to Neal as she handed him the key and Neal smiled slightly and then reached for his wallet. Granny held out her hand and shook her head. “We’ll worry about payment tomorrow.”

 

“Oh.” Neal lifted his brow in surprise but tucked his wallet back into his pocket and smiled gratefully as he took the key. “Thank you.”

 

Granny nodded and Emma smiled at her before looking over to Neal. “Come on.”

 

They hiked up the stairs and found Neal’s room as one of the last ones on the floor. Neal opened the door and stepped inside, observing his surroundings and nodded in approval. “I think this is actually nicer than my apartment.” He said, tossing the suitcase onto the bed and then turned to Emma with a smile.

 

Emma only half smiled and nodded. “You can always count on Granny.”

 

“Now is this the same Granny from Granny’s diner?” Neal wondered.

 

Emma huffed a laugh. “Yeah, she and Ruby run both the diner and inn. I honestly have no idea how they did it.”

 

“Well cursed town, right? Not many people coming to use the inn.”

 

“Right.” Emma muttered and shifted uncomfortably. Neal furrowed his brow and took a few steps toward her. Emma’s eyes widened slightly as he approached and she crossed her arms but didn’t pull away.

 

“What’s going on, Emma?” Neal asked softly.

 

Emma resisted an eye roll at the concern in his voice. She most certainly did not need Neal’s sweetness right now.

 

“I have something to tell you....about Henry.”

 

Their son’s name caused even more of a concern to enter his eyes and she sighed, throwing her arms to her side and moving past him.

 

“I lied.” She confessed, turning slowly to look back at him and Neal’s face fell and it almost looked like she had physically punched him.

 

“Lied?” He whispered, fearing the worst.

 

Emma saw where his mind was heading and jumped quickly to reassure him. “He’s your son, Neal. It’s not that.”

 

Neal breathed a sigh of relief and ran his fingers through his hair. “Jesus, Emma. Don’t scare me like that.”

 

Emma frowned heavily. “Henry has captured your heart just as easily as he captured mine. And...” She sighed.

 

“Emma...” Neal walked over to her. “Whatever it is you can tell me.”

 

Emma looked up at him, meeting his eyes and then quickly looked away, knowing she’d lose her nerve the longer she stared into those chocolate brown eyes.

 

“I hated you, Neal. I really did.” She said and out of her peripheral vision she could see Neal’s face drop again. “And one day...Henry asked about you.” She sighed and sat down on the edge of his bed, twiddling her thumbs on her lap and staring at the ground. “I was trying to reunite this pair of twins with their father and Henry asked about his. And so I lied to him.”

 

Neal frowned and came over to sit next to her on the bed. “You lied about me? What did you tell him?”

 

Emma scoffed, shaking her head. “I told him you were a fireman.”

 

“A fireman.” Neal snorted. “That’s reaching a bit.”

 

“A bit?” Emma quickly glanced up at him and he smirked slightly. Then she shook her head and looked back down and let out another deep sigh. “Henry knew what I was. When I came here, the mayor, who is also Henry’s adopted mother, didn’t want me around. So she dug into my past and found my juvie record and posted it in the Storybrooke newspaper for everyone, including Henry, to see hoping that would drive him away from me. It didn’t, thankfully but now he knows that I’m not a spotless lamb. And I just...I wanted him to think his father was something greater even though, at the time, I thought you were the scum of the earth.”

 

“Oh thanks.” Neal scoffed but he didn’t blame her for it. After he left her, he thought of himself as the scum of the earth too.

 

Emma let a small smirk tug at her lips and she nudged him lightly. “You’re not so bad now.”

 

A small smile graced his features and he nudged her back. “Thank you.”

 

“Don’t think too highly of it Neal, I’m still pissed at you.” She gave him a look and he raised his hands.

 

“I’ll take pissed at over scum of the earth any day.”

 

Emma rolled her eyes at him but couldn’t help the slight smile tugging at her lips.

 

Neal smiled and laughed softly. “So that’s it? My son thinks I’m some fireman?”

 

Emma’s smile dropped and she ducked her head, chewing on her bottom lip softly. “Not exactly...” She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to avoid his perplexed expression and she shook her head before continuing quietly. “I told him you were dead.”

 

“What?” He cried. “You told him I was _dead?_ ”

 

“I know it was wrong of me but I didn’t want him to go looking for you. For my own selfish reasons more than anything but I know he wouldn’t be able to let it go.”

 

Neal shook his head as he rose off the bed and started to pace the floor. “My son thinks I’m dead...”

 

Emma watched him, her face scrunching up in remorse. “I’m sorry, Neal.”

 

He sighed heavily as he ran his fingers through his hair and then turned to face her. “What did you tell him?”

 

Emma let out a soft sigh. “I told him that you were a fireman and that you died saving someone from a burning building.”

 

“Oh god.” Neal shut his eyes and turned away from her for a moment. He turned back to her, exasperated. “Henry thinks I’m some hero.” He shook his head, leaning up against the wall and shook his head as he stared up at the ceiling. “He’s going to hate me now.”

 

“No...” Emma got up and walked over to him, hesitantly reaching out to touch his arm. “Neal, he won’t hate you. Listen,” She gently squeezed his arm and he looked down at her with a frown, “He didn’t hate me after he learned the truth about me. And he’s not going to hate you, either. This father that he thinks he knows doesn’t exist. But you do and Neal that kid is so attached to you already. He wants a father, Neal and he doesn’t care who he is.”

 

Neal kept his eyes on hers, staying silent for a few moments. “You’re going to tell him, right?”

 

Emma bit her lip and nodded. “Yes, of course I am. Tomorrow. I promise, tomorrow.” She could see his beginnings of a protest and she cut him off before he could say anything. “It’s been a hell of a weekend for all of us Neal and I think we all need another day.”

 

Neal sighed but agreed. “Alright, tomorrow.”

 

The corners of Emma’s lips turned up in a slight smile and after she realized she was lingering her touch on Neal she quickly pulled away and took a few steps back.

 

Neal immediately felt the lack of her touch and longed to reach out to her again and pull her close. He’d forgotten how much he loved Emma’s touch, how much he loved having her in his arms. When they were together they were constantly touching, Neal always had his arm around her at every possible moment, they’d kiss and hug whenever they could and though Neal had had a few flings here and there over the last ten years none of them made him feel the way Emma did, even after all this time.

 

And he knew he should have been mad at her for lying to Henry but he left in such a state that he gave her no other choice. Hell, before Emma came along and anyone asked about his father he lied through his teeth. He didn’t want to be associated with such a man, he wanted to forget all together what his father had done so he didn’t blame Emma for thinking Henry would want to do the same.

 

He just hoped Emma was right and that Henry would accept him despite his past. And if he didn’t, Neal would stop at nothing to convince Henry of the man he actually was.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if any of you are still reading this. If you are, thank you, and I will be uploading the remaining chapters while I still continue to, slowly, work on the last chapter to complete this story.

Emma stepped in through the doorway Monday afternoon. Henry had gotten home just an hour so before and was dutifully sitting at the kitchen table, his homework books out and simultaneously snacking of a bag of chips. 

Emma had asked David if he could handle the duties for the rest of the evening. She had promised Neal that she would tell Henry today and she didn’t want it to be just before he was going to bed. David agreed with no problem, Emma was beginning to realize that even though she was almost thirty years old, she had her father wrapped around her thumb like she was five. It was no doubt because in her father’s mind she was still a baby but it still worked well in her favor. He asked the reason of course and she responded that it was personal problems. Somehow he knew that personal problems meant Neal and let it be. 

Telling Neal she had lied was hard enough but telling Henry was going to be even worse. Why did she ever put herself in this situation? 

Henry looked up from the table, most likely expecting his grandmother who got home usually around this time, but his face lit up in pleasant surprise at seeing her. “Mom!” He hopped off the chair and ran over to hug her. 

Despite her nerves, Emma automatically smiled as Henry’s arms embraced her. 

“Hey Henry.” She hugged him tightly in return. Emma wasn’t sure when Henry had switched from calling her Emma to calling her Mom but she realized she liked it a lot. 

Still crouched to be at his level, she held onto his shoulders affectionately. “How was school?” 

Henry shrugged. “It was alright.” 

“Just alright? Nothing exciting?” 

Henry scrunched his face up and shook his head. “Not really. But everyone was talking about Neal.” 

Emma’s eyes widened slightly and she swallowed thickly. “Oh? What were they saying?” 

“A lot of them didn’t know Mr. Gold even had a son. And they think its cool that there’s someone new in Storybrooke.” Henry said and then he smiled. “I told them he was a nice guy.” 

Emma smiled softly. “You really like Neal, don’t you?” 

Henry nodded with a bright smile. “Neal is great!” 

Emma let out a soft sigh and looked into Henry’s loving brown eyes. She knew there was no way he’d hate Neal after he learned the truth but he might hate her. “Good.” She murmured quietly, casting a small smile at him and then rising up to her feet. 

Henry’s brow furrowed as he looked up at her. “Why are you home early?” 

Emma sighed and slipped her hand onto his shoulder. “I needed to talk you.” 

Henry frowned, noting the serious tone in her voice. “About what?” 

Emma led him over to the couch and gently guided him to sit down and then sat down next to him, biting her lip softly as she reached out to take his hand in hers. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes for a moment, preparing herself and then opened them again to look at Henry. 

“It’s about your dad.” Emma admitted quietly and Henry’s eyes widened and he cocked his head. 

“My dad?” Emma hadn’t spoken about his dad since that time with Hansel and Gretel. But Henry didn’t know what else she could say about him that she hadn’t already told him. 

Emma lightly caressed the back of his hand with her thumb, hoping the comforting gesture would soften the blow. She looked straight into his eyes and confessed. “He’s alive, Henry.” 

“What?” Henry asked in a low whisper and she could see the confusion and shock in his eyes. “My dad’s alive? But...you said he died in a fire...” 

Emma frowned as she squeezed his hands gently. “I know what I said...but it wasn’t the truth.” 

Henry looked taken a back, his eyes wide and filled with all sorts of emotions. 

“Oh Henry...” She whispered and reached out to gently cup his cheek and surprisingly he didn’t try to pull away, he only stared at her in stunned silence. “I am so sorry, kid. I just didn’t want you to know who he really was but that was wrong of me and that's why I’m telling you now.” 

Henry continued to stare at her and he visibly swallowed before asking, “Who is he?” 

Emma’s lips twitched slightly and she gently ran her thumb over his cheek and she let out a deep sigh. Here goes nothing, she thought. “Henry...your father is here in Storybrooke.” 

She didn’t think it was possible for Henry’s eyes to grow wider but they did and she could see the cogs turning in his brain as he ran through the possibilities. And he might have figured it out because a tiny gasp escaped his lips just as she said it. “It’s Neal. Henry, Neal is your dad.” 

Henry’s sat there wide eyed and slack jawed and he was so still Emma almost thought he went into physical shock. Her brow pressed together and she slipped her hand onto his shoulder and gave it a nice squeeze, “Henry?” 

His eyes flickered to hers and his jaw snapped together and he swallowed again and when he spoke, his voice broke. “Neal’s my dad?” 

Emma nodded slowly, giving him a half smile. “Yeah he is.” 

“Really?” Henry’s voice shot up and his eyes grew moist and shiny with unshed tears. 

“Really.” Emma nodded again and swallowed softly. “I know I lied to you before and I’m sorry but I am not lying to you now. Neal is your father.” 

Henry said nothing and Emma couldn’t remember the last time he was this quiet. Not that she blamed him of course, she certainly remembered what it felt like to learn the truth about your parents. 

But his silence did unnerve her and he wasn’t even looking at her anymore, he was staring down at his lap but even still she could see the frown on his face. 

“Henry?” She prompted him in concern and slowly Henry lifted his head and the hurt in his eyes struck deep into her heart. 

“Why did you lie?” He whispered. 

Emma dropped her head for a moment, feeling completely ashamed of herself for doing so. She let out a resigned sigh before looking back up to him. “I lied because I didn’t think Neal was a good person.” 

Henry’s brow pressed together in confusion. “But he is!” 

Emma pressed her lips together. “Now he is Henry but back then....” She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. “You know what happened to me right? When I was younger.” 

Henry nodded slightly. “You went to jail. And that’s where you had me.” 

“Right.” Emma nodded. “But I went to jail for a crime I did not commit. Henry...” She sighed again, not wanting to tell him the truth but knowing she had to. “Neal and I...we did bad things. We were thieves.” Henry’s eyes widened and it physically pained her to have to go on. “Before Neal and I met he stole some really expensive watches. And we were going to take the money from those watches and start a new life together which meant no more stealing or anything. But when I was supposed to meet him, after he said he was going to sell the watches, the police showed up and told me that Neal had tipped them off and I was wearing one of the watches so I was found guilty and went to jail.” 

The tears in Henry’s eyes returned and looked like they could spill over his cheeks at any second and Emma knew what he was thinking. It was exactly what Emma had thought of Neal all these years. 

Emma inched closer to Henry and reached out to take his hands in hers, squeezing them as she looked into his eyes. “But that was just my side of the story, Henry. Neal told me his and there is so much more to the story than I ever realized. Henry, your dad is not a bad guy. He’s made some mistakes but so have I. He left me, that much is true but he did it for a reason.” 

“What reason?” Henry asked quietly, his eyes imploring hers curiously, desperate to know the whole truth about his father. 

“So I could come here to Storybrooke and break the curse.” 

Henry’s eyes widened as he gaped at her for a long moment. “He knew about the curse?” 

Emma smiled tightly. “August told him.” 

“Pinocchio?” 

Emma nodded in confirmation. “August found Neal and told him that he couldn’t stay with me because he would have held me back from my destiny as the savior. Neal believed him because-” 

“Because he’s Rumplestiltskin’s son.” Henry realized and Emma’s lips twitched in a slight smile as she nodded. 

Henry frowned, furrowing his brow. “But you’re angry with him.” 

Emma let out a soft sigh. “Yes. He hurt me, Henry. No matter what the reason he did it for, knowing he left me hurt more than anything.” 

“You loved him.” Henry whispered in realization and Emma looked down at her lap and whispered in return, “Yeah.” She sniffed and looked back up at Henry, reaching out to touch the side of his face gently. “But just because I’m mad at him, doesn’t mean you have to be. He didn’t know about you Henry and if he did, he never would have left.” 

Henry’s bottom lip stuck out in a slight pout and wobbled slightly and a single tear rolled down his cheek as he nodded. Emma quickly wiped the tear away with her thumb and smiled softly. “Think of him as the guy you spent all day with yesterday because that’s the guy he is now, alright?” 

Henry nodded again and she implored his eyes. “Do you forgive me? For lying?” 

Henry bit down on his lip softly and eyed her for a moment before a small smile crossed his lips and he nodded. “I forgive you.” 

Emma sighed in relief and reached forward, taking him into her arms and holding him tightly against her. She pressed a few light kisses to the side of his head and then pulled back a minute later to smile down at him. 

Henry casted a half smile back at her and she was reminded so much of Neal. 

Henry no doubt had a lot of thoughts running through his mind and still so many questions. And she expected that but after he cleared his throat and wiped any remained moisture off his cheeks he looked up at her and asked, “Can I go see him?” 

Emma lifted her brow in surprise. She figured Henry would want to talk to Neal but she didn’t think it’d be that fast but she couldn’t deny him. “Yeah, of course you can. Do you want me to come with you?” 

Henry thought about it for a moment and then shook his head. “No I want to see him alone.” 

“Okay.” She nodded and watched him as he got off the couch and started to walk over to the door. 

“Hey, wait a minute kid.” Emma laughed quietly as she stood up and looked over to him. “Do you even know where he is?”

“He’s at Granny’s.” Henry answered, reaching for his backpack. 

“Which room?” Emma asked, raising her brow pointedly. 

Henry blinked. “Uh...” 

“That’s what I thought.” Emma chuckled and walked over to him. “He’s in room ten and don’t stay out too late okay? Call me if you need a ride home or ask Neal to take you.” 

Henry nodded as he shifted his backpack onto his back. “Okay I will.” 

Emma smiled softly and reached out to affectionately rub his head. “Be good, okay?” 

Henry gave her a look and she smirked before opening the door and guiding him out. “Alright now go.” 

Henry stepped out into the hallway and paused briefly just to look over his shoulder and smile at Emma. “Thank you for telling me.” 

Emma smiled softly back at him. “Of course.” 

Henry stared at her a moment longer and then turned to jog down the stairs. 

\--------------

Neal’s day had been boring to say the least. He didn’t feel like venturing out into Storybrooke because he didn’t feel like dealing with the stares. Or the possibility that he’d run into his father. 

So when he got up that morning he took a shower and got dressed and went down to the lobby to discuss payment with Granny. Thankfully she didn’t ask for too much, certainly a lot less than what he paid for rent in the city. They ended up talking for a little while after that and Neal found her to be just as kind as Ruby. She seemed to be wary at first of him but she soon warmed up and Neal was grateful for that. But it wasn’t too long after that Granny excused herself to go help Ruby out at the diner and Neal was once again left alone. 

Since he didn’t have anything to eat however he did step out and find the local convenience store just to pick up some things to eat for the next several days. And he took the items back to his room and stayed there for the rest of the day. Though he had slept pretty well since he got to Storybrooke he found himself taking a brief nap due to boredom. But he did wake up feeling refreshed and had wasted a little bit of time. 

It was nearing four thirty and he was sitting at the desk in his room just looking out the window when he heard a frantic knock at his door. 

His eyes widened as he whipped his head to look at the door. He felt his heart drop into his stomach as he thought about the possibility that it could be his father. He was not ready to talk to him again, if he was going to stay here for the next two weeks he knew he’d run into him again sometime but he did not that day to be today. 

The knock sounded again and he let out a breath as he slowly walked over to the door and paused with his hand on the doorknob. He closed his eyes for a moment, preparing himself for who would be on the other side and then pulled the door open. 

He immediately relaxed when he saw Henry standing outside his door. He smiled at the boy but then soon realized that Henry looked incredibly anxious and the smile dropped. Neal suddenly remembered the promise Emma had made him, that she’d tell Henry the truth about him today and Neal’s heart dropped again. Henry looked less than thrilled and that scared him. 

“Hey Henry.” He greeted calmly. “What can I do for you, kid?” 

Henry’s eyes widened slightly at the use of the name and he swallowed softly. “Can I come in?” 

“Sure, of course.” Neal stepped aside, eyeing Henry carefully as he walked into the room and Neal slowly closed the door behind him before turning to face him, his fingers twitching at his sides. 

Henry stopped in the middle of the room and just stared at him and Neal could see Henry’s breathing was more heavy than usual. “Is it true?” Henry asked, looking up at him. He paused for a brief moment and then continued more softly, “Are you my dad?” 

Neal felt all his breath leave him at once and his heart raced in his chest. Neal swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat and nodded. “Yes Henry, its true.” 

A soft gasp escaped Henry’s lips and tears instantly sprung up in his eyes and Neal looked down, avoiding Henry’s gaze. “Listen Henry-” 

But before he could continue, Henry dropped his bag to the ground with a loud thud and Neal looked up and only had a second to react as Henry came barreling toward him. Neal fell onto his knees and Henry rushed into his open arms, throwing his arms around Neal’s neck and burying his head into his shoulder. 

Neal let out a breath as his arms tightened around his son and pulled him tighter, pulled him closer and he closed his eyes tightly, reveling in the feeling of his son’s embrace. 

He soon felt Henry shaking in his arms and his heart leapt into his throat. He tightened his arms even further and started to rub Henry’ back soothingly, whispering comforting words against his ear. 

Neal only pulled away slightly, just breaking the hug, when he felt warm tears against the skin of his neck. He held onto Henry’s shoulders and looked into his eyes, smiling warmly. Henry smiled back as a few tears trickled down his cheeks. At the sight of his son with tears in his eyes, but smiling and looking back at him with such love, Neal couldn’t help but get a little chocked up himself. 

“You alright, kid?” He asked past the tightness in his throat as he reached up to gently wipe away Henry’s tears with his knuckles. 

Henry nodded quickly and an even brighter smile lit up his face. “I just can’t believe you’re my dad.” 

Neal smiled at him. “Well believe it.”

Henry sucked in a shuddering breath and, more hesitantly this time, leaned in to hug him again. Neal moved one hand to the back of Henry’s head and the other rested on his back as he held him close. 

Then Henry pulled away from him, awkwardly shuffling and wiping at his tear stained cheeks. Neal smiled slightly as he watched him, realizing this was new to them both. 

Neal let out a breath as he rose to his feet and Henry looked up at him curiously. Neal shot him a charming half smile and motioned over to the bed. Neal took a seat on the edge of the bed and Henry stared at him quietly before Neal smiled encouragingly and patted the seat beside him. A small smile tugged at Henry’s lips and he hurried over to hop on the bed beside Neal, looking up at him. 

“So...” Neal let out a sigh as he gazed down at Henry. “What did Emma tell you....about me?” 

The smile on Henry’s face dropped a bit and he looked up at Neal hesitantly. “She said...that you left her.” 

Neal dropped his head with a resigned sigh and rubbed his thighs uncomfortably. “Yes I did but I’ve regretted it ever since. It was the worst mistake of my life and if I could go back in time and change it I would.” He glanced sideways at Henry and looked him seriously in the eye. “And if I had known about you I never would have left at all.” 

Henry swallowed and nodded, his lips turning upward. “I believe you.” 

Neal’s brow shot up. “You do?” 

Henry’s smile brightened and he nodded again. “Yes. Emma told me that you’re not a bad guy. That I should think of you as the guy who spent time with me yesterday and not the stories she told me about your past.” 

As if Neal couldn’t be any more surprised by Emma she turns around and pulls this. He couldn’t keep the smile off his lips or suppress the fluttering of his heart. “She said that?” 

Henry nodded with a grin. “And we had a lot of fun yesterday...and now that I know the truth about you it makes it even better.” 

Neal felt like his heart would actually explode right out of his chest. “That’s good to know.” He reached out hesitantly to slip his arm around Henry’s shoulder and pull him closer. “I had fun too.” 

Henry beamed up at him and leaned into his side and tilted his head to look up at him. “I’m so glad you’re alive.” 

Neal’s breath caught in his chest at that simple but powerful statement. No one had ever said anything like that to him especially not since he came to this land. He knew Emma loved him way back when and they had even expressed that love many times but those words held something more. 

At Neal’s stunned silence, Henry continued quietly, fiddling with his fingers in his lap. “I’ve always wanted a father. And Gramps is great but...he’s not my dad.” 

Neal suddenly furrowed his brow and frowned as he looked down at Henry. “You never had a father? Emma said you were adopted...” 

“I was.” Henry said. “But my mom was not married or anything.” He shrugged. “The closest thing I ever had was Archie and he’s just my therapist.” 

“Therapist?” Neal questioned in concern. 

Henry smiled up at him sheepishly and brought his shoulders to his ears. “Before the curse broke I had this book with everyone’s stories in it and I figured the curse out. But my mom was trying to convince me that it wasn’t true.” 

“Why?” 

Henry sighed heavily. “She was the one who casted it so she didn’t want it broken. But I knew it had to be broken so that's why I went to find Emma.” 

Neal huffed. “Yeah she told me about that.” He smirked. “How you left town on your own, stealing your teacher’s credit card to go to Boston.” 

Henry smiled sheepishly. “My mom wouldn’t have let me go and the curse had to be broken.” 

Neal laughed and ruffled Henry’s hair. “You’ve got guts kid, that's all I have to say.” 

Henry grinned up at him and Neal pulled him against his side, giving his shoulder a light squeeze. “Well then, I’m glad I get to be your dad.” 

Henry looked up at him and his eyes sparkled once again with unshed tears and Neal smiled warmly down at him. 

“So, what do you say to having some dinner?” 

Henry’s face lit up. “I’d love that!” 

“Yeah?” Neal grinned. “Me too. Granny’s?” 

Henry nodded. “Sure!” 

Neal released Henry and stood up and gave him a smile as he motioned his head to the door. Henry grinned as he hopped off the bed and walked over to Neal and father and son walked out together, Neal’s arm lightly wrapped around his son’s back.


	10. Chapter 10

Neal and Henry walked into the diner, Henry with a beaming smile as he looked over his shoulder as if to make sure Neal was still there. Neal smiled down at his son and that was good enough for Henry. The near eleven year old practically skipped over to the usual table he shared with Emma and slid into one side of the booth. Neal chuckled as he finally caught up to Henry and slid into the other side.

 

Although he was thrilled, Neal also found himself to be just a little nervous. This was his first real meal alone with his son. He’d spent the whole day with Henry yesterday but Snow was around and Henry had absolutely no idea he was his father. And now he did, and now they were alone save for the few other people in the diner.

 

And unbeknownst to him, as he stared at the grinning child across from him, that Henry was just as nervous.

 

Both were so nervous in fact that while both of them did want to talk to one another, neither of them knew where to begin.

 

Neal could see that Ruby was still tending a few tables away so it’d be at least a minute before she came over. And there was no way he was going to just sit in silence with his son and do nothing.

 

Neal cleared his throat to break the slight tension in the air and leaned his arms on the table as he addressed Henry. “So...how’s school?”

 

Henry’s eyes twitched at the mention of school but he was too happy that his father was engaging with him to really care too much about the topic. “It’s pretty good. Did you know my grandma is my teacher?”

 

Neal raised his brow. “I did not know that.”

 

Henry nodded. “Yeah, during the curse she was Ms. Blanchard.”

 

Neal’s brow furrowed. “Wait a minute...is this the same teacher you stole from?” At Henry’s sheepish smile, he snorted. “You stole from your grandmother? Oh kid, that’s rich.”

 

“I knew she’d understand.” Henry said quietly. “She was Snow White after all. And according to the book, she stole too.”

 

“Snow White as a thief?” Neal asked skeptically.

 

“She only stole from my mom.” Henry explained and at Neal’s look of confusion, elaborated further. “My adopted mom, Regina. She was the queen and she was trying to kill Snow White so Snow would steal from her carriages. But one day she robbed a carriage that was not the queen’s on accident and thats how she met grandpa.”

 

Neal narrowed his eyes thoughtfully and soon a small smile tugged at his lips. “Let me get this straight, Snow White was a thief who robbed a carriage that your grandfather was in and thats how they met and fell in love?”

 

Henry nodded with a smile. “That’s right.”

 

Neal let out a small laugh and shook his head slightly. The similarities between the stories of Emma’s parents meeting and how he and Emma met were eerily similar. Not to mention the fact that Snow had been a thief, Emma had been a thief, he had been a thief and they had all passed that trait down to Henry.

 

“What?” Henry cocked his head at Neal’s odd reaction.

 

“Nothing...its just...” He pursed his lips as he stared across the way to Henry’s expressive and curious eyes. Henry had heard the truth already of what he had been, what they had been, a little more couldn’t hurt. “Did your mom tell you how we first met?”

 

Henry’s eyes lit up and he shook his head, eager to hear the story of his own parents.

 

“Well,” Neal smiled as he drifted back to a time when, for once, everything was alright, “I was resting in the back seat of a car, a car that I will admit I stole, when all of a sudden I heard someone trying to break in. I open my eyes and I see this young blonde woman through the window-” Henry visibly lights up at the mention of his mother “- She gets the car door open and gets in and used a pick to start the car. She starts to drive away and she thinks she got away with it except she didn’t realize I was in the back seat.”

 

“What happened?” Henry asked, his eyes wide as he leaned across the table.

 

“Well I sat up and told her she could have just asked for the keys. She jumped, scared out of her poor little head.” He chuckled at Henry’s expression. “She was very calm actually. I told her my name, she eventually told me hers. She blew a stop sign and I conned my way out of trouble with the police. If the officer had asked for registration we both would have been screwed.”

 

“Because it wasn’t either of yours car.” Henry said.

 

“Right. And after that little bonding experience where I totally saved her, she agreed to getting drinks with me and...we never spent a day apart after that.” _Until I left,_ a little voice chimed in his head.

 

But Henry didn’t bring it up, so he wouldn’t either. Henry was staring at him in awe, a happy smile on his face, thrilled to know that much more about his parents. It only took a few seconds more for realization to dawn on him and he gasped, his eyes widening. “My mom robbed your car just like Snow robbed my grandpa’s carriage!”

 

Neal laughed softly as he nodded. “Yep. Like mother like daughter.” The way Henry was happily smiling at him, Neal couldn’t deny him another little gem of information. “And you know what else?”

 

“What?” Henry asked eagerly.

 

“That car? It’s still Emma’s car.” Henry’s eyes widened as he gaped at his father.

 

“The yellow bug?”

 

“The yellow bug.” Neal confirmed with a smile.

 

“Wow.” Henry whispered as he sat back in his seat and Neal chuckled.

 

“I know. I was surprised that she kept it all this time.”

 

Henry looked up at him with a flicker of hope in his eyes. He may only be ten years old but he’s been around enough true love to recognize it when he sees it. And it may be just the wishful thinking of a boy but even though his mom was still mad at Neal, if she kept the car that might mean she still loves him. And Henry knew by the way that Neal talked about Emma that he still loved her. If Henry was very lucky, his parents may have a chance.

 

Before this conversation could go any further, Ruby approached the table with two menus and laid them out in front of them with a smile. “Hello Henry.” She greeted sweetly and then turned to Neal with a smirk. “And good to see you again Neal, this time actually sober.”

 

Neal scoffed lightly and looked down for a second. “Yeah I’m sorry about that.”

 

Ruby waved it off with a laugh. “Don’t worry about it. So,” She took the notepad out of her apron, “What can I get you boys to drink?”

 

“I’ll have a chocolate milkshake.” Henry answered.

 

“Make that two.” Neal said, sharing a smile with Henry.

 

“Alright, will do.” Ruby nodded as she scribbled down the order. “Do you know what you want to eat or do you need a minute?”

 

Neal looked over at Henry inquisitively and Henry looked back hesitantly and Neal smiled. “Order whatever you want, kid.”

 

A small smirk tugged at Henry’s lips. “Can I have ice cream?”

 

Neal gave him a look. “What do you think?”

 

“No.” Henry sighed dejectedly and Neal laughed.

 

“No is right. Actual dinners, Henry.”

 

Henry made a face and scanned the menu and then closed it and looked at Ruby. “I’ll just have a grilled cheese.”

 

Ruby smiled, writing it down. “One grilled cheese for the little man. Neal?”

 

“Uh...” Neal flipped through the menu, biting his lip softly. Then he shrugged and closed the menu. “I’ll have the classic hamburger.”

 

“Good choice.” Ruby grinned as she took the menus from them. “Its the best burger in Maine and I’m not just saying that because none of us have ever been anywhere else.” She winked and the three shared a chuckle. “Your food will be right out.”

 

“Thanks Ruby.”

 

She nodded to them with a smile and went to the kitchen to drop off the orders.

 

Another brief silence fell over them though this time just a little less awkward. The tension had been broken and the two were slightly more comfortable around each other.

 

But as Neal watched Henry he realized he knew almost nothing about his son. Emma had told him some things but he still felt like a stranger and not his father.

 

“Hey kid.” Neal broke the silence and Henry looked up, his eyes lighting up at the affectionate name. “Did you ever play 20 questions?”

 

Henry furrowed his brow and shook his head. “No. What is it?”

 

“It’s a little something people do to get to know each other better. I feel like I know nothing about you kid, and I want to.”

 

A smile lit up Henry’s face. “You do?”

 

“Of course.” Neal smiled and swallowed softly, his voice growing a little bit quieter and more hesitant. “You’re my son, what kind of father would I be if I didn’t want to know you?”

 

Henry swallowed and the deep emotions returned to his eyes. “I want to know you too.”

 

“Great.” Neal grinned. “Okay, so here’s how it goes. I’m going to ask you a question and you have to answer it. Then I’ll answer it and you ask me a different question. And we keep asking each other questions until we’ve asked 20 questions.”

 

Henry mulled over Neal’s instructions in his head for a few seconds and then smiled as he nodded. “Okay, I got it!”

 

“Alright.” Neal cleared his throat. “First question. What is your favorite color?”

 

Henry brightened at the easy question and didn’t even have to think about it. “Blue!”

 

Neal nodded and smiled along with him, happy Henry was so eager to play along. “Blue is a nice color. One of my favorites too but my favorite color is yellow.”

 

“Yellow?” Henry questioned and then his eyes widened in realization. “Like Emma’s car.”

 

“Exactly like Emma’s car.”

 

Henry grinned at him. “So its my turn now?” Neal nodded and Henry pursed his lips in thought for a moment before turning back to Neal.

 

“What’s your favorite superhero?”

 

Neal had to laugh at the very ten year old boyish question. “You’re into superheroes huh?”

 

Henry nodded. “I love them!”

 

“Yeah? So who’s your favorite?”

 

Henry narrowed his eyes. “Hey, you have to answer first Neal.”

 

“Right, sorry.” Neal raised his hands and then chuckled to himself. He lowered his hands back to the table and let out a breath as he thought about it. The only time he really read comic books was those first few years he was in the foster system and the collection really wasn’t that extensive. There were a few different options but he remembered one in particular stood out.

 

“Superman.” He finally answered.

 

“Superman’s cool!” Henry nodded. “Why is he your favorite?”

 

Neal was about to point out that that technically was another question but he didn’t want to stop this conversation.

 

“Well,” Neal let out a breath, “I...felt like I could relate to him. I’m not an alien from another planet but I did come to this world all alone.”

 

Henry blinked in confusion for a moment and then he remembered and he frowned. “Because you’re Baelfire and you came from a land with magic.”

 

Neal was beginning to realize the more he heard that name, the less it stung especially coming from Henry. If there was anyone he felt comfortable enough to talk about his past with it was Henry.

 

Still the subject was sore and he smiled sadly. “Yeah. It was a strange, new world for me  and reading about Superman, who was new to Earth too, helped me feel a little bit better.”

 

Henry chewed on his lower lip for a long moment and then hesitantly rose out of his seat to reach across the table and place his hand over Neal’s and he met his eyes.

 

Neal felt his heart swell at the comforting gesture from his son and he squeezed the boy’s hand gently, his smile turning a little brighter.

 

Henry smiled back and stayed there for another few seconds and then he returned back to his seat.

 

Neal cleared his throat to rid of the thickness that he suddenly felt and shook off all thoughts of the past, returning to the present with Henry. “Alright, I answered. Now you. Who’s your favorite superhero?”

 

Asking a ten year old that question was probably like asking a parent which child they liked best but it was part of the game. Henry thought about it for long moment and then came to an answer.

 

“The Incredible Hulk.”

 

Neal lifted his brow, simply stunned by his answer. He would have thought Henry would have said Spiderman or Batman but to go with a lesser known superhero and even one who some might argue, isn’t even a superhero due to his destructive nature.

 

“The Hulk, why?”

 

“Why not?” Henry shrugged. “Bruce Banner is really smart and yeah when he gets really angry he becomes the hulk and destroys things but I think thats cool and maybe if people would stop shooting at him he wouldn’t be such a bad guy.”

 

Neal was absolutely floored. Was there no limit to the cleverness of this kid? If he could see the good in the hulk it was no wonder he could see the good in him.

 

“Wow. Henry, that is...that is a great answer.”

 

“Thank you.” Henry beamed. “Okay, next question.”

 

That continued on all through the meal, Henry and Neal sending questions back and forth and they were both delighted to find out they had a lot in common. They shared laughs over the common things, even laughs over the answers they thought were a little silly. But by the time they had finished their meals, all nerves had almost completely gone and they knew each other that much better.

 

“Alright,” Neal stated, their plates pushed aside, picked clean and just their chocolate milkshakes in front of them. “One last question and its your turn.”

 

Henry suddenly grew very quiet and took a sip of his shake, staring down at the table.

 

Neal’s smile faded and he lowered his head to get down to Henry’s eye level. “What’s the matter, kid? Can’t think of another question?”

 

“No...that’s not it.” He muttered and fingered his napkin on the table.

 

“Henry, you can ask me anything, you know that, right?”

 

Henry nodded quietly and visibly swallowed before looking up at him hesitantly. “I was just wondering...” He trailed off.

 

Neal gave him a small smile and an encouraging nod.

 

Henry inhaled then exhaled sharply as he looked into his eyes. “Can I....can I call you Dad?”

 

Neal almost chocked on the air that suddenly got caught in his throat and he stared at Henry wide-eyed. Of all the questions he might have been expecting, something maybe about his past as Baelfire, he was certainly not expecting that. After he regained control of his voice, he asked shakily. “Do you want to call me Dad?”

 

Henry nodded silently, keeping his eyes on him.

 

Neal let out a breath. Henry calling him by that name would only cement the fact that he was indeed a father to this remarkable young boy. And though the thought scared him he realized there was absolutely nothing wrong with that.

 

A warm, genuine smile crossed Neal’s lips and he reached over to grab Henry’s hand, instantly stopping his nervous fidgeting. “Yeah kid, you can call me Dad.”

 

Henry stared at him for a long second and then a bright smile lit up his face. Father and son, now reeling because of this new development in their relationship, continued just to grin at each other.

 

\----

 

Regina Mills was going just a little bit stir crazy. It had been a couple weeks since Emma and Snow’s return and though the town had loosened up a little bit due to the fact that she did save their lives by reopening the portal, she still got nasty looks whenever she walked outside of her house. In the past it wouldn’t have bothered her but since her decision to change her heart, change her way of life, it did indeed bother her.

 

But she had been kept up in that house for too long and she was getting sick and tired of cooking for herself. Regina needed a break and she decided she’d suck it up and go down to Granny’s and if she’d have to eat by herself, she’d do it.

 

Just as she suspected as she drove down the street, the townspeople sent the familiar black car either wary or dirty looks. It was true she had magic but she hadn’t used it, at least not since...

 

She was doing more than enough to prove that she was changing, she thought. Leaving them alone and not trying to destroy everyone’s life was a good first step.

 

She ignored them this time, fully concentrating on getting to Granny’s and for once not having to cook for herself.

 

She pulled into one of the furthest parking spaces at Granny’s and sat in her car for a few minutes. Then she reminded herself that she was Regina and all the confidence she’d gained through her years as queen would have to pay off now.

 

Regina stepped out of the car and held her head high as she walked toward the entrance. She tried to not look through the windows just incase someone decided to look back but she couldn’t help but catch the sight of one particular booth.

 

She froze on the sidewalk and slowly turned her head to see her son sitting with a man that she did not recognize. They were smiling at each other and talking, oblivious to her standing right outside and staring at them. She frowned heavily. It was true, Henry had taken to living with Emma and the two idiots but she still saw herself as Henry’s mother and she did not take well to seeing her little boy with someone she didn’t know.

 

She huffed and continued her way into the diner, ignoring the stares from everybody as she marched right over to the table.

 

“What the hell is going on?”

 

Henry looked up and his smile fell slightly, his eyes widening as he saw her. Neal watched Henry’s face as he looked up at the woman, he noticed fear in his eyes but also something more, something like adoration. It was an odd combination and Neal wondered who this woman could be.

 

“Mom? What are you doing here?”

 

Looking at the dark haired woman who was certainly not Emma, Neal realized this must have been Henry’s adopted mother. Grateful to the woman who raised Henry for his whole life, Neal smiled at her. “You must be Regina.”

 

Regina turned her hard stare on him. “You seem to know who I am but I have no idea who you are.”

 

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Neal turned to face her and flashed a charming smile. “I’m Neal.”

 

“He’s my dad.” Henry offered a bit hesitantly and Regina’s eyes widened and she crossed her arms.

 

“You are Henry’s father?” Neal nodded, a slightly proud smile on his lips. “I was told you were out of the picture.”

 

“I was.” Neal admitted sheepishly. “Not of my own choice but I’m here now.”

 

“Yes...” Regina eyed him carefully. “What does bring you Storybrooke?”

 

Neal tensed. He didn’t exactly feel comfortable with telling this stranger who he was and he was a bit surprised that she didn’t know.

 

But once again, Henry was the one to speak up. “Mr. Gold sent Emma to find him.”

 

“Gold?” Regina turned to Henry in surprise. “Why would Gold care...” And then she froze with horror as she suddenly remembered the talk of the town. Emma had bent sent out to find Gold’s son, Emma returned with Gold’s son. Slowly she turned back to look at Neal and Neal suddenly became very uncomfortable under her stare.

 

“ _You_ are Gold’s son?”

 

“Afraid so.” Neal muttered bitterly and Regina’s eyes darkened and she clenched her jaw.

 

“You’re _his_ son....and you’re Henry’s father?” Regina scoffed and shook her head in disbelief. “You have got to be kidding me.” She kept her glare on Neal a moment longer, her lip twitching and then she growled and turned on her heel, walking briskly out of the diner.

 

Neal blinked, looking over his shoulder to watch her go and then turned back to Henry, raising his brow.

 

“She seems nice.”

 

\------

 

Regina forgot all about her car, forgot all about the dinner she was supposed to be having, she was so livid she walked all the way down to Gold’s shop.

 

The door said closed but she knew he was in there and with a quick flick of her wrist the locked door swung open with a crack.

 

She stormed into the shop. “Gold!”

 

A more than calm Mr. Gold walked out from his back room. “Do be careful with that door, dearie. It is an antique.”

 

Ignoring his snide comment she stormed over to the counter and slammed her hands down, focusing a glare on him. “You bastard.”

 

“It’s nice to see you too, Regina.” He answered swiftly.

 

Regina scoffed and shook her head. “You knew the whole time didn’t you?”

 

“Knew what exactly?”

 

“About Henry.” Regina hissed.

 

Gold gave her a side eye. “What about Henry?”

 

Regina narrowed her eyes into angry slits. “Do not play dumb with me Gold, I am not in the mood for your games.”

 

“I assure you, I am not playing and I have no idea as to what you are referring.”

 

“Oh for God’s sake. Your son is in town.”

 

For a brief second Gold’s serious facade faltered but he quickly put it back up and raised his brow. “Yes he is.”

 

“And you expect me to believe that you had absolutely no idea that your son is the father to my son?”

 

Gold stared at her silently, the information processing and then he nodded to himself. “Ah, yes. Well that does make sense.”

 

“What?” Regina snapped.

 

Gold sighed heavily. “Not that it is any of your concern, Regina, but Bae explained he had a past relationship with Miss Swan. I did not know Henry was their child.”

 

Regina shook her head. “You are such a liar.”

 

He let out a little bit of an unamused laugh. “I assure you Regina if I had known Henry was my grandson I would not have given him to you.”

 

Regina let out a slight gasp and glared at him, whipping her hands off the counter as if she’d been burned. She shifted her jacket and turned slightly away from him. “Don’t you dare go near him.” She warned.

 

“I wouldn’t dare hurt him.” Gold replied, his tone light but he knew the honesty in his own words. “He is, after all, family.”

 

Regina narrowed her eyes, sending him daggers but he matched her stare with a calm, if smug, expression and once again she turned on her heel and practically flew out of the shop, the door slamming behind her.

 

Gold watched her go, a small smirk playing on his lips. Then as soon as he was sure she was gone, he let the smirk drop and he looked down at the ground, shaking his head slowly and sighed,  “Oh, my boy.”

 

 

\------

 

Emma waited by the clock for hours. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Neal, although part of her didn’t. It was mostly that she didn’t know how Henry was doing. Were he and Neal getting along? Were they fighting? Why had he been gone so long?

 

It was nearing seven o’clock and Snow was in the kitchen making their dinner and casting a concerned look over to her daughter every once in a while.

 

“You know...” Her mother’s sweet voice brought Emma out of her thoughts. “Staring at that clock isn’t going to make him come home any faster.”

 

Emma groaned and finally looked away, resting her head against the table. “I know. I just can’t help but worry, you know?”

 

“Yeah.” Snow said quietly. “I know.” She left her place at the stove and walked over to take the seat across from her. “But Henry is okay. He’s a strong kid.”

 

“It’s just...” Emma lifted her head. “When I first learned the truth about you I almost ran away from it. Henry is running toward it, like he always seems to do, run head first into everything. I just don’t want him to get hurt if Neal isn’t ready to be a father.”

 

“Emma.” Snow reached over and grabbed her daughter’s hand, smiling warmly. “You weren’t ready for it either but look how fast you adjusted to it. I saw them yesterday and you know you did too. Neal adores him and the same goes for Henry.” She gave her hand a light squeeze. “Don’t worry too much about them.”

 

Emma scoffed lightly. “I don’t worry about Neal. It’s Henry I’m worried about.”

 

“I’m sure they’ll be home at any-” Snow was cut off by the sound of Henry’s distant voice in the hallway. Emma lifted her head and turned to look at the door, listening. She couldn’t hear what he was saying but he sounded happy.

 

Snow smiled. “See.”

 

Emma looked back at her mother, giving her a look before walking over to the door. She could hear two sets of footsteps walking up the stairs, Henry’s voice growing louder and she could even hear Neal’s voice.

 

Emma pulled the door open once she heard they were right outside and looked on eagerly. Henry and Neal were both smiling and even laughing as they stood outside the door.

 

“Hey Mom!” Henry greeted happily.

 

“Hey Henry.” She smiled softly at him and looked up, meeting eyes with Neal. He smiled at her, giving her a curt nod and then reaching over to rub Henry’s shoulder gently.

 

“Alright kid, you behave for your mom, okay?”

 

Henry rolled his eyes slightly. “I’m always good.”

 

Neal chuckled and ruffled his hair. “Sure you are.”

 

Henry scrunched up his face but then smiled up at him. “I had fun today. Can we do it again soon?”

 

“Anytime you want, I’m yours.” He gently squeezed his shoulder and winked and Henry grinned. Henry then reached out and tightly hugged Neal’s waist and looked up at him, his eyes twinkling happily. “Goodnight Dad.”

 

The strange, new word still sent his heart racing and Neal knew it would take time to get used to. “Goodnight, Henry.” He rubbed his back affectionately and Henry smiled once more before racing off into the apartment.

 

Neal watched him go and then looked up to see Emma staring at him in shock.

 

“What?” He asked.

 

Emma shook her head quickly. “You...he called you dad.”

 

Neal smiled widely and shrugged. “He asked me if he could, I said yes.”

 

Emma let out a breath. “It’s not weird?”

 

“Oh its weird.” Neal said. “But it’s a good weird...I like it.”

 

Emma sighed and nodded, letting a small smile cross her lips. “I think he likes it too.”

 

Neal chuckled softly. “Yeah, something tells me he does.”

 

Emma shook her head lightly as she looked down, crossing her arms over her chest. “Thank you.”

 

“For what?”

 

Emma licked her lips and then looked back up at him. “For being that for him.” She sniffed and looked away awkwardly. “I just hope you stay...for his sake.”

 

“Emma.” He took a step toward her and her eyes widened at the serious tone in his voice. “I’m never leaving again. I promise.”

 

Emma swallowed thickly as she looked into his eyes and then nodded, her lips twitching. “Goodnight Neal.” She whispered.

 

“Goodnight Emma.” He whispered back and she looked away before closing the door. Emma let out a deep breath, closing her eyes as she leaned back up against the door.

 

What was she doing? She was letting Neal back into her life, letting him back into her heart. And it was not going to end well.

 

“Emma?” Snow’s voice called from the kitchen. “Can you come help me for a second?”

 

Emma sighed heavily, collected herself and pushed off the door, walking into the kitchen.


	11. Chapter 11

Neal had been in Storybrooke for five whole days now and despite the awkward stares at first, and that it was just a little boring, he was actually enjoying his stay. And that mostly had to do because of Henry. He made a point to see him everyday, even if it was just walking him home from the bus stop. He could tell Henry appreciated it though and seeing his little face light up every time he came was more than enough.

 

One morning he was even lucky enough to get a knock on his door at 7 in the morning to find Emma and Henry standing outside, inviting him to breakfast at Granny’s before school. Emma seemed hesitant about it and throughout the short meal, she didn’t really engage him too much in conversation but she was doing it for Henry.

 

Neal spent most of his meals at Granny’s because at least there was company and Ruby, if she wasn’t too busy, always engaged him in conversation.

 

It was a sunny thursday afternoon and Neal was sitting at the counter, eating away at his sandwich. There weren’t many people in the diner that day so he sat and ate in silence.

 

He heard the sound of the door swinging open and looked up from his meal, curious to see who had entered. Immediately his body tensed and his eyes snapped back to his meal, avoiding any possibly eye contact.

 

His father had not seemed to notice him yet and Neal could hear his low laughter followed then by a more high pitched giggle. A woman? His brow furrowed and he snuck a subtle look over his shoulder to see a young woman attached to his side, their arms linked together and smiles on both their faces.

 

They took a few more steps into the diner and then suddenly Rumplestiltskin froze as he caught sight of who else was there. Their eyes met and locked on each other for a very long second and then Neal broke it, snapping his head back down, shifting awkwardly in his seat.

 

Rumplestiltskin lightly cleared his throat and looked down at his companion, starting to take a step back. “On second thought, perhaps your picnic idea is better.”

 

“What?” The woman asked in surprise. “Oh come on, you can’t change your mind now. Besides, this is starting to become our Thursday tradition.”

 

His jaw clenched as he eyed his son who was trying very hard to ignore him. “Belle...I really do think...”

 

“What is it?” She slid her hand affectionately up his arm, staring up at him in concern and then followed his eyes to where Neal was sitting. She stared at the younger man for a long minute and then her eyes widened as she slowly looked back up to Rumple. “Is that...is that him?” She tried to keep her voice low but she was not being subtle enough and Neal rolled his eyes lightly. “Is that Baelfire?”

 

Rumple let out a heavy sigh. “Yes.” He muttered. “Now, please let’s go.”

 

“Wait.” She said back and squeezed his arm before letting it go and approached Neal.

 

“Belle-!” Rumple tried calling after her in vain.

 

Neal flinched as he saw Belle approaching him and he sucked in a deep breath and turned to her with a tight smile.

 

A warm smile lit her face and her eyes shone brightly and she seemed like a genuinely sweet woman. “Baelfire?”

 

He bit the inside his cheek to hold back a nasty comment at the usage of the name. Then he cleared his throat and answered, “I actually go by Neal but yeah.”

 

She shook her head lightly and an even brighter smile lit up her face as she clasped her hands together in front of her. “It’s such a pleasure to finally meet you! Your father has told me so much.”

 

“I bet he has.” Neal muttered under his breath.

 

“Excuse me?” She inquired, not quite hearing him.

 

Neal let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. “Nothing.” He shifted in his seat, giving this woman a once over. “So who are you then? My half-sister or something?”

 

“What?” Her brow lifted in surprise and he narrowed his eyes. He didn’t think that was such an off question. “No, no. Rum and I are together.” She explained.

 

Neal’s face fell as he stared at the young woman before him. He let out a quiet, humorless laugh. “Are you serious?”

 

“Yes...” She nodded, her brow furrowing in confusion.  “Of course.”

 

Neal scoffed and then bit his lip as he shook his head slightly. “Wow.” His jaw set as he looked behind her shoulder to where his father was standing just several feet behind. “You are truly unbelievable. Do you realize that she is probably younger than I am?” He motioned viciously to Belle and she frowned heavily. When Rumple didn’t respond, Neal scoffed again and turned to look at Belle. “What has he said to you to make you stay with him?”

 

Belle looked taken aback. “He has said nothing! I am with him because I want to be and for no other reason.”

 

“Right.” Neal muttered sarcastically. “I know how he works and what he does with women.”

 

Belle’s face hardened and suddenly the innocent, happy-go-lucky woman was gone. “No offense, Neal, but you’ve been gone a long time.”

 

Neal shook his head slowly. “So what? He’s the Dark One and the Dark One never changes.”

 

“Now listen-” Belle started but Rumple came up behind her, pressing a hand gently into her back and spoke near her ear. “Come on, Belle, let’s just go.”

 

“No.” Belle protested sternly, turning to look at him.

 

“Belle?” Neal suddenly questioned and they both turned to look at him. Although the fairytales characters didn’t exactly look like their real life counterparts there were similarities and Neal had certainly noticed something familiar about Belle. He’d maybe seen the Disney movie once or twice but there was no denying it. A knowing smile crossed his lips. “You know that makes so much sense. Beauty,” He locked eyes with Belle for a moment before turning a glare on his father, “And the beast.”

 

A soft gasp escaped Belle’s lips and she moved out of Rumple’s light hold, moving toward Neal, a frown fully etched onto her face. “How dare you?” She hissed quietly. “He is not a monster, nor a beast. He’s a man and you are his son-”

 

She was cut off her little angry tirade by Rumple once again coming up behind her and gently tugging at her arm. “Belle, it’s alright.” He said quietly. “Please, let’s go.”

 

“Don’t bother.” Neal hopped off the other side of the stool, pulled some bills out of his pocket and tossed them on his half eaten sandwich. “I was just leaving.” His cold stare matched Belle’s and they stared at each other for a long moment before Neal brushed past them and out the door.

 

When he got back to his room he slammed the door and tossed himself onto the bed, burying his head in his pillow. He didn’t think his father could get any worse in his eyes but he did. Belle was a sweet, young woman and though his memories were a little hazy he’d never forget the sight of his father disappearing into the house of their sweet, young maid and returning with blood on his boots.

 

 _Even mutes can draw a picture._ His sickly, twisted voice rang in his ears and he groaned taking the pillow and covering it over his head.

 

Did Belle know about his magic? She must have, he certainly made a name for himself. So why was she defending him? What made her want to be with him in that way? He shuddered at the thought of what spell he had her under.

 

He absolutely hated this. Though he was hurt by being abandoned he loved being able to get away from the monster his father had become. And now his father was back in his life and he was exactly the same no matter how hard anyone tried to convince him otherwise and he had to deal with the fact that he was manipulating other people’s lives.  And since he was blood, he automatically felt guilty for it but he didn’t want that. He didn’t want to Baelfire ever again. He just wanted to be Neal.

 

He felt angry tears push behind his eyes and he pushed them back, closing his eyes tightly as he buried his face into the mattress.

 

He stayed like that until he couldn’t breathe and then just shoved his face into the pillow and curled up until he mercifully fell asleep.

 

\----

 

Neal woke up just several hours later to the sound of a light rapping on his door. He blinked awake and he let out a soft moan. His head pounded like he had a hangover but of the emotional and not the alcohol variety. He closed his eyes and pulled the blankets over his head and hoped that whoever it was would just go away if he didn’t answer. Much to his deep annoyance it only continued and he groaned and called out from under his blankets. “Go away!”

 

The knocking stopped and then a moment later came a small voice, “Baelfire?” He instantly recognized the Australian accent. Though he had only met Belle just hours before and only talked for a few minutes, the accent was unforgettable.

 

He cursed under his breath and tossed the blankets off of him, flipping onto his back and staring at the ceiling for a few moments. He wondered briefly if she was there to kidnap him. She was tiny but she proved she was more than capable of handling herself in the diner and besides if she was possessed by magic there’s no telling what she could do.

 

“Neal.” She said again and the use of his preferred name truly caught his interest and he turned to look at the door, debating whether he should open it. Her voice seemed calmer than when he had left them and that was enough to convince him to open the door.

 

With another groan he slid off the bed, trying to ignore the pounding in his head and walked over to the door, pulling it open.

 

Belle’s face was no longer angry and had returned to innocence but she frowned as she looked up at him, this time in concern. He probably didn’t even realize it but his eyes were slightly puffy and it was abundantly clear he was upset.

 

They stared at each other for a few seconds in silence and then Neal grunted, stepping aside to let her into the room. He had a feeling Belle was going to talk his ear off.

 

“Thank you.” She whispered, a small smile crossing her lips as she stepped into the room. Her hands swung at her sides as she looked around the room and then came together in front of her as she turned back to Neal who closed the door behind her.

 

“Look-”

 

“Belle-”

 

They both started at the same time and then paused, sharing a small awkward smile and Neal waved her on first.

 

She swallowed and let out a breath. “I’d like to apologize for my behavior at the diner earlier. I always knew there was a lot of history between you two but I never truly knew what had really happened. Rumple explained everything and...you have a very good reason to be angry with him.”

 

Neal blinked quietly, still trying to get the grogginess out of his system and process her words but then he nodded and crossed his arms lightly over his chest.

 

“But,” She continued and Neal dropped his head. There was always a but, wasn’t there? “I also think you were a little harsh. He left you, I understand that, and because of that you seem in a certain way. Maybe you have the right to judge him, I don’t know, but you do not have the right to judge me.”

 

Neal sighed and his hands fell at his sides. “I know. I’m sorry. I just...” He paused and let out another sigh. “It’s hard for me to understand why anyone would willingly choose to be with him.”

 

A small smile crossed Belle’s lips and she took a step toward him. “He feels that way about himself you know. That he doesn’t deserve someone caring in his life. That no one could ever want him. He gets that because of you.” She held out her hands, seeing his eyes darkening in protest. “I’m not blaming you. He blames himself for letting you go and he thinks that because you could not love him that no one could.”

 

“I did love him.” Neal responded quietly. “Even after he changed, I still loved him. I was scared of him and hated what he did to people but...he was still my papa.”

 

“But he thinks you didn’t and even despite that he searched for years and years to try and find his way back to you. And now he has and he believes you do hate him. But...you don’t do you?” She wondered as she observed Neal and how he crossed his arms back over his chest, turning his gaze to the floor and tightening his jaw. “You’re just angry. And its alright, its alright to be angry.”

 

Neal just continued to stare at the floor silently, not daring to answer her, knowing deep down that she was right.

 

“I know, Neal.” She continued compassionately as she took another few steps toward him. “He let me go too.”

 

Neal looked up to her at that confession and frowned silently. She smiled sadly and nodded gently. “I’m going to tell you our story and I don’t want you to be angry with him because of it, alright?”

 

Neal narrowed his eyes suspiciously but Belle gave him a look. “Alright?” She pressed.

 

“Fine.” He muttered with a nod although he didn’t know if he’d actually be able to keep that promise.

 

Belle gave him a soft smile and then let out a breath before speaking. “My kingdom was at war and my father didn’t know how much longer we could last without help. He heard about a powerful man who had once marched into the front lines of the previous ogre wars and stopped the fighting.”

 

Instantly Neal’s face softened for a quick second as his memories drifted back to the particular moment and then it hardened again.

 

“Rumplestiltskin agreed to come and said he would keep our kingdom safe for a price. My father offered him all the gold we possessed. Though he didn’t want gold because he could make gold himself. He wanted me.” Neal’s eyes widened and Belle quickly continued before he could jump to any conclusions. “Only just to clean his castle, to be his maid. I volunteered to go even after my father refused to accept. I wanted to help my family and my people, even if it was my own sacrifice.” She let out a breath. “He was very intimidating at first.” She let out a small laugh and shook her head.

 

“He told me I had to skin children for their pelts. Of course I was horrified and I dropped a cup and that was when he told me it was a joke. I thought he’d get angry with me because I chipped his cup but he didn’t. It took a little while but we warmed up to each other. The more days I spent with him the more I realized he was just lonely. He was all by himself and though his appearance was a little unsettling it was nothing to be afraid of. I made that known that I was not afraid of him. I talked to him like he was any other person and he treated me very well. I had only spent a couple weeks with him when he decided to send me off to the market to buy him some more hay...essentially he was letting me go. I was going to run away and I knew he wouldn’t come after me, he said so himself. But I met a woman on the road who explained to me that any curse could be broken by true love’s kiss. It was then that I realized I had to return to him because I loved him and I was more than certain he loved me. So I did and he pretended not to be happy I was back but I knew he was. I kissed him then and it started to work, I could see him transforming back to a normal human.” She shook her head and frowned as she looked down, softly biting her lip.

 

“That’s when he pushed me away. He got so terribly angry and said that no one could love him even though I told him I did, even though our kiss was starting to break the curse on him. He told me to leave and so I did.”

 

Neal’s expression was unreadable by the end of the story. “But you are back with him.”

 

“Yes.” She smiled softly. “For whatever reason, he was a coward but I knew that wasn’t all there was to him. When we were finally reunited he took me into his arms and he told me he loved me. And yes he’s made some very wrong decisions that I’ve gotten angry with him about but there is good in his heart. I am with him because I see it and I want to help him become the man I know he is. He’s not a monster but he believes himself to be.”

 

Belle looked up at him and smiled. “I know that if you give him the chance, you will see it too. And Baelfire,” His body tensed at the name but he looked into her eyes inquisitively. “That’s all he wants. A second chance from you. He loves you so much, you are the most important person to him. He made a mistake, a terrible mistake by letting you go but it was that, a mistake.” She walked over so she was standing just in front of him and hesitantly reached out to gently touch his arm and gave him a warm smile as she looked up at him. “Trust me. Give him a chance, you won’t regret it.” She lightly squeezed his arm and gave him a curt nod before heading toward the door. She paused with her hand on the doorknob, turning to give him one last smile and then walked out, closing the door behind her.

 

Neal stared at the door where she left, his eyes narrowing slightly. After that story he was no longer considering her to be under any spell, though part of him was still a little weirded out by the whole thing. And he knew he should be taking her words to heart but his own heart kept telling him otherwise.

 

Even after all that Belle had told him, he still didn’t know what to think.

 

\-----

 

It was nearing sunset when Emma pulled up in front of the docks and hopped out of the sheriff’s car, peering over the vehicle to the lone figure sitting on the edge of the docks. She closed the door behind her and shifted her jacket against the slight chill of an evening in Maine. She quietly walked up the docks, eyeing the figure carefully until she got near enough to recognize him.

 

She let out a soft sigh and shook her head, continuing her way down the docks until she was standing right behind him. “I got a call about a mysterious person hanging around the docks disturbing the peace. You know anything about that?”

 

Neal looked over his shoulder at the sound of her voice and his lips twitched slightly as he silently grabbed another pebble from the pile beside him and tossed it into the water with a plop.

 

Emma let out a huff of a laugh and then sat down beside him, her legs hanging off the edge of the dock. She looked over at him, her brow raising inquisitively but there was a slight degree of concern in her eyes. “What’s up, Neal?”

 

Neal sighed heavily, grabbing another pebble and flicking it into the water. “I met my father’s girlfriend today.”

 

“Belle?”

 

Neal nodded quietly, grabbing another pebble.

 

Emma pursed her lips and looked out into the water, watching the small ripples where the small stone had landed. “She’s nice.”

 

“Yeah.” Neal agreed, lifting his head to look out at the sky.

 

Emma looked over at him and smirked at the slightly sour expression on his face. “I know, I was a little weirded out too. Who knew Gold had a girl.”

 

Neal huffed slightly. “One who is my age if not younger.”

 

“Oh, yeah. That too.”

 

Neal rolled his eyes slightly and gave her a look before shrugging. “I don’t know. It bothered the hell out of me at first but not so much anymore.”

 

Emma hummed lightly. “Yes I figured you weren’t out here sulking because your father’s girlfriend is the same age as you.”

 

Neal whipped his head toward her. “I am not sulking!”

 

Emma shot him a pointed look. “Neal, it is almost dark and you are sitting out here by yourself throwing pebbles into the bay. You’re sulking.”

 

She smirked at the expression on his face and she nudged her body into his, making him throw out his hand onto the deck to catch himself before he fell over. When he looked back at her, his eyes slightly wide her smirk broadened. Neal scoffed and shook his head, looking back out into the sunset, a small smirk on his lips.

 

Emma swallowed as she looked at him. Whatever had brought him out here was truly bothering him. “What’s wrong, Neal?” She asked seriously.

 

Neal sighed as he looked down onto his lap, fiddling with his hands. “I’m so confused, Emma.”

 

“About what?” She wondered.

 

“What to think.” He let out a breath as he looked over at her. “I first saw Belle with my father at the diner and things ended pretty badly between all of us. A couple hours later Belle came to see me at my room and she told me everything from how she met my father to how she feels about him and why she feels that way about him. She told me I should give him a chance.”

 

“And you don’t want to.” Emma acknowledged.

 

“Not really.” Neal admitted. “I still see the same man that left me. If there was any trace of the man I knew as my father it wouldn’t be so hard but....every time I look at him I just see the Dark One.”

 

Emma frowned and stared silently down at the water for a few minutes and she let out a deep breathe before looking back over at him. “Do you wish I’d forgive you?”

 

Neal lifted his brow, taken aback by the question. “Um...yeah. Yes, of course I do but I understand why you don’t.”

 

Emma’s lips twitched slightly upward as she turned her head. “Don’t you think your father wishes the same? He knows he messed up and he understand why you’re angry with him but that doesn’t change the fact that he needs your forgiveness.”

 

Neal furrowed his brow slightly and frowned as he looked at her silently.

 

Emma sighed and shook her head. “There are times I look at you and still think you’re that jackass who sent me to jail.”

 

Neal flinched but didn’t look away from her.

 

“And if I didn’t have to drag you back here to meet your father...If I had run into you just out of the blue, I wouldn’t have given you the time of the day. I wouldn’t have given you a chance. But now... I see how you are with Henry and how you are now and I don’t know, maybe you’re not just that jackass who sent me to jail.”

 

Neal stared at her in stunned silence. He never thought Emma would open up like that especially not right away. And her words sent a sliver of hope into his heart. A chance, she was going to give him a chance.

 

Emma saw the beginning of a twinkling in his eyes and she looked away, lightly digging her palm into the wood beneath her. “The point is, Neal, that if I hadn’t given you that chance to talk, to be around you and get to know you again then I would probably still hate you. And maybe Belle is right. Maybe you need to give your father that same chance and you might see he’s not as bad of a person as you think he is.”

 

Neal stared at her for a few moments and then bit his lip as he stared down at his lap. A large part of his being was telling him no, not to trust the man again but that smaller part, the part that loved, told him to listen to Emma. After all, he was on the side of the abandoner and he knew he was not a bad guy. He had reasons for doing what he did and that ended up hurting Emma in such a terrible way and all he’s ever wanted since that day was her forgiveness. And though he hated to admit it, maybe his father just wanted the same.

 

He sighed and ducked his head against his chest, knowing Emma and Belle were right. He had to give his father that chance to explain himself, to prove that he’s not the man he used to be. He dreaded it, fearing that his father could never change into his papa again. But it was a risk he had to take and it had the possibility to turn into an okay situation.

 

“You’re right.” He admitted after a long period of silence. “I’ll talk to him again, really hear him out.” He looked over to Emma and saw her smiling softly and she gave him a curt, approving nod.

 

He smiled himself and looked back down at the water and for a long minute, silence fell upon them. Then he smirked slightly and lifted his head, turning his gaze on her.

 

“So you don’t hate me, huh?”

 

Emma shot him a look but there was a small smirk evident on her lips. “Shut up.”

 

He chuckled to himself as she rose up into a standing position and turned to walk away.

 

“Emma.” He called up to her and she looked down at him and he smiled at her genuinely. “Thank you.”

 

“Don’t mention it.” She returned with a slight twitch of her lips and continued her way down the dock back to the car. Only a few feet down she stopped for a second and looked over her shoulder, meeting his eyes. A small but true smile crossed her lips before she turned back around and continued on.

 

A smile broke across his face as he watched her go and then he finally turned back to face the water. He let out a small, happy laugh and tossed another pebble into the bay.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for hanging in there with me! There will be one more chapter after this one followed then by an epilogue!

Neal couldn't believe he was here again, standing on the porch of his father's estate, but he knew Belle and Emma were right. He needed to talk to his father and really talk to him – not just yell and not let the old man get a word in edgewise.  
   
He'd heard somewhat of an explanation of his father's behavior but he hadn’t been willing to sit down and listen fully.  
   
Belle helped him to realize there may have been more to his father than meets the eye. Belle's dedication and loyalty and clear love for the man had to mean something. The man he knew as his Papa was still in there and perhaps if he did give him the chance to prove it, he could see it for himself.  
   
That was all he wanted, really. That was all he ever wanted – to have his father back.  
   
It was the love he still had for that man, the soft spoken spinner that brought him here. He was still the Dark One, that much was obvious, but perhaps there was still hope for him.  
   
He let out a breath and knocked quietly on the door, rubbing the toe of his shoe nervously into the welcome mat. It was another minute before the door opened and he was once again face to face with his father.  
   
He still half expected to see the golden faced Dark One and felt a stab at his heart, seeing the human face of his Papa staring back at him, looking more like the spinner with his saddened eyes.  
   
"Bae…" The name escaped Rumple's mouth before he could stop himself, his eyes trailing over his son's form as if still not believing he was there and then he corrected himself. "Sorry…Neal-"  
   
"No." Neal whispered with a shrug and a swallow. "It's okay…I mean…you can call me Bae, if you want."  
   
"Really?" His father seemed surprised and he nodded.  
   
"It's who I am, isn't it? Especially here….in this town." He sighed quietly. "Besides…I'm here to talk. Father to son. Rumplestiltskin to Baelfire. I…don't want you to hide under the Dark One's shadow so its not fair of me to hide behind Neal's."  
   
There was a glimmer of hope in the older man's eyes as he nodded in understanding and then stepped aside. "Come on in, son."  
   
There was another twang to his heart at the gentle tone to his voice and letting out another breath, Neal stepped inside.  
   
"You hardly wanted to speak to me yesterday." His father said from behind him as he closed the door and Neal turned around to face him. He was leaning on his cane for support and that was the first time Neal truly acknowledged the fact that he was using one and how much pain he must have been in to use it. As soon as he acquired the Dark One's magic, he walked limp free – he could run a marathon if need be. Magic was here in Storybrooke and yet he still used the cane – perhaps the Dark One wasn't as strong here.  
   
"What changed your mind?"  
   
Neal stuffed his hands in his pockets, sucking in a breath. "Your girlfriend." The word felt weird on his tongue – he was still getting used to the idea that his father even had a girlfriend. His face scrunched up slightly, "I'm sorry about that, by the way. The way I treated her – both her and you – in the diner. It was uncalled for."  
   
Rumplestiltskin nodded graciously, silently accepting his son's apology and dismissing it just as quick. "You talked to Belle?"  
   
"She talked to me, actually." He scoffed with a slightly amused laugh. "She's very…opinionated."  
   
A small smile cracked across the older man's lips. "She keeps me grounded."  
   
"Good…that's….that's good." Neal muttered quietly, his eyes once again focusing on his father's gimp leg. He made no sign that it was bothering him but he knew it had to have been and he actually felt some concern for him.  
   
"You wanna sit down?" Neal offered, looking off to the living room through the archway.  
   
Rumple's brow rose and then nodded. "Yes we can sit. Come." He headed toward the living room and Neal frowned as he followed behind his hobbling father.  
   
Rumple took a seat in a well worn arm chair – one he must have used for the twenty eight years he spent there and Neal took a seat across from him on the loveseat.  
   
Neal leaned back against the leather and folded his hands in front of him, clearing his throat against the silence.  
   
"What did you want to talk to me about, Bae?"  
   
Neal lifted his shoulders, heaving a sigh. "Everything. I…I want to know everything. I know you told me about the curse and…the…the portal but um, I was so angry I was barely listening. I'm…willing to listen now. Really listen."  
   
There was a brief flicker of panic on the older man's face, the fear of talking about all of this and his son rejecting him no doubt, but Neal softened his expression, making it easier for him to open up.  
   
"Alright…" Rumple let out a quiet breath with a nod. "The first thing you have to know Bae is that I do regret letting you go over that portal."  
   
Neal's jaw tensed for a moment but he said nothing in reply. He was here to listen, not argue.  
   
"The horror that filled me the instant that portal closed and you were gone, I-" He paused and bowed his head in shame. "I truly wanted nothing more than to reopen the portal and follow you. That was the most cowardly moment of my life and yes, for that one moment, I thought more of the magic and power I was going to lose, more than I thought of you. I'm not going to make excuses, no matter how much I could blame it on the Dark One's magic, it was my choice and I just…made the wrong one. I became so angry at myself for letting you go that I let the Dark One take over just so I could find my way back to you. I wanted nothing more than to find you. Yes, I reveled in the power and the magic that I had. It did take me over three hundred years to even find all the necessary ingredients to create the curse and I manipulated people's lives, I did things that I was not proud of. I know…I know it doesn't make you feel better to know I did all of this for your sake but for me…knowing that it'd lead me to you, at the time, it was worth it. Unless someone voluntarily sought me out to ask for a deal, the only deals I did make were for the sake of the curse. There were no other options, Bae." 

He looked up sadly to his son who was staring back at him with an unreadable expression. "I asked, I looked, believe me, I looked everywhere. I found a man who could travel between worlds using a magical hat but he could not travel to this world for this world had no magic. I…almost acquired another bean but I was tricked out of it."  
   
Neal raised his brow. "You were tricked out of it? Who in their right mind would try to trick you?"  
   
There was a flicker of darkness in his eyes, followed then by a flicker of pain. "A pirate." His voice dripped with an anger that sent a chill up Neal's spine. It was the Dark One's anger and he sensed there was more to that story than just stealing a bean.  
   
"He was long gone, using the bean to escape before I found out he had tricked me." Rumple continued.  
   
Neal was rather impressed with this pirate – tricking the Dark One was no easy feat.  
   
Then a thought occurred to him, a brief flicker in his mind of something he heard or saw all those years ago. "A pirate? Didn't my mother leave us for a pirate?" The darkness that over took his father's face was enough to confirm the thought. "It was him, wasn't it?"  
   
Rumplestiltskin shifted his jaw and gripped tightly to his cane, turning his head to avoid his son's gaze. "Yes."  
   
"Did you see her?" Neal asked quietly. He barely remembered anything about his mother but from what he could remember, even after she had left his father seemed still to be in love with her.  
   
"Indeed." He muttered in a quick reply and Neal narrowed his eyes at the coldness in his voice and the way he still avoided his gaze.  
   
"What aren't you telling me?"  
   
Rumple sighed and turned back to his son. "Nothing, Bae."  
   
Neal frowned. "Would you cut the crap…I'm here to talk to you, to listen and I think you owe it to me to be honest with me. What happened?"  
   
"It doesn't matter." Rumple nearly hissed. "She is long dead."  
   
Neal swallowed thickly, seeing the flicker of malice in his eyes, it was the same glint he had whenever he murdered somebody, the face that haunted his dreams for years and years. "Oh god…" He whispered in horror. "Tell me you didn't."  
   
"She had it coming." Was his father's only answer and Neal felt a rage flash white hot inside of him as he stood up quickly, glaring down at this father.  
   
"You killed her?"  
   
"She left us, Bae! She left you!"  
   
"She was still my mother!"  
   
"She abandoned you!" Rumple growled back.  
   
"So did you!" Neal hissed, matching the older man's glare head on.  
   
Rumplestiltskin rose to his feet to meet at eye level with his adult son and for a brief, flickering moment Neal felt fourteen years old again, watching his father slaughter the guards coming to take him away, and his eyes widened as he took a subconscious step back. Then it was gone and little Bae was pushed back and the hardened Neal stood in his place, standing his ground with the Dark One.  
   
"And I literally tore apart our world to get back to you!" Rumple cried. "I stopped at nothing, Bae, just to see you again. She left without a second thought. She chose that life, a pirate, over you without looking back."  
   
A hole he didn't know he even had had suddenly been ripped open with his father's words and Neal felt hot tears prickling at his eyes. There was always that lingering hurt that his mother abandoned him but nothing hurt worse than the abandonment from his father. That is what he focused on, that is what he had nightmares about.  
   
It was only now at thirty four years old, standing in the living room of his father's estate, learning about the murder of his mother at the hands of his father, did he realize how deep the abandonment from his mother hurt.  
   
He wanted to yell. God knows he wanted to yell at his father until his voice gave out but when he spoke all that came out was a strained whimper. "You didn't have to kill her."  
   
At the raw emotion in his son's voice and the glossiness and hurt in his eyes, Rumple's face softened and he backed off, sighing to himself. "I was so angry, Bae. I lost her to that pirate, I lost you, and now she and that pirate were the only thing keeping me from getting to you. I let the darkness, anger and jealousy cloud my judgement and…I killed her."  
   
He braved a glance up to his son and his heart broke at the expression on his face. He remembered that look, that look of terror and disappointment and utter helplessness and somehow it was that much more upsetting on his adult son's face than when he was fourteen.  
   
"I'm sorry, Bae." He whispered, reaching out to him and Neal stepped hastily out of his way, glaring at him, snapping his jaw closed before his father could notice it quivering.  
   
"You're not though, are you?"  
   
Rumple's silence was confirmation enough and Neal's face scrunched up as he looked down, daring to fight the tears threatening to fall.  
   
"The Dark One's magic was still so new to me. When I became enraged…my emotions were the end of me, Bae. I could not control myself. Milah had many strikes against her and when she told me she had never even loved me…" He sighed quietly and shook his head. "Perhaps I would react differently now but back then…I did what had to be done."  
   
Neal slowly lifted his head, a single tear rolling down his cheek. "What if I left?" Neal bit out and Rumple pressed his brow together and Neal took a deep breath before continuing, gaining the power back to his voice. "What if I left on my own accord? What if I chose, just like she did, to leave you? Would you have killed me too?"  
   
Rumple's eyes widened in horror. "No! Baelfire, I couldn't-"  
   
"Why not?" Neal countered.  
   
"You're my son. I could never hurt you like that…I couldn't dream of…"  
   
"And she was your wife! You claim to love her. Me, her, we were all a family once…how could you kill her so easily?"  
   
Rumple hung his head. "It was only later that I discovered that as she did not truly love me, nor did I truly love her. I would not be able to kill those I truly love."  
   
Neal wiped a hand over his face out of frustration, simultaneously wiping away any tears from his cheeks. "Are you aware of how ridiculous you sound right now?"  
   
Rumple glanced to him. "You do not believe in true love, Bae? I would have thought with Miss Swan…"  
   
At the mention of Emma, Neal's eyes flashed angrily and he stepped toward him. "Leave Emma out of this." He demanded. "She has nothing to do with this. What I do or do not feel for Emma has nothing to do with you murdering my mother."  
   
Rumple sighed heavily. "I realize there is nothing I can say to make up for that….but listen to me, Bae." He took a few steps toward him and Neal cast a warning glare at him but still Rumple reached out for him, touching his arm gently. "That was centuries ago…that man that I was is not the same man I am now. I had nothing besides my power and it drove me insane. Now…now I have Belle and she is my guiding light. Now you are back and you make me want to be different…better. I want to be the man you knew as your Papa. I have made some grave decisions in my lifetime and I realize how much they must hurt you but they are in the past."  
   
Neal rolled his eyes. "This isn't the Lion King – you can't just say Hakuna Matata and put something like that in the past."  
   
Rumple's brow furrowed at the reference that flew over his head but shook it off, quickly assessing his son's point. "That is fair. You have such a kind heart, Bae, I didn't expect you to be…alright with this."  
   
"I'm not insane – that's why I'm not alright with this." Neal bit back and then sighed after a moment of tense silence.  
   
“I should go…” He started, avoiding his father’s gaze as he took a step away. The longer he stood there thinking about it the more sick he felt.  
   
   
   
“Baelfire, wait.” His father’s grip tightened on his arm and Neal ripped out of his hold but didn’t move. He wanted to run, to get out of there and never look back. Every time he tried to reach out to his father it only confirmed over and over again that that darkness was still in him. It had only been twenty years since he last saw his father but the Dark One had been active for hundreds of years committing hundreds of heinous acts and he did not feel like hearing about them anymore. Yet something was holding him there, that tiny little ounce of hope that despite all the rational evidence, his father was still in there.  
   
“I know you’re angry and you have every right to be. In your eyes my actions are unforgiveable and asking for your forgiveness may not be appropriate.”  
   
Neal scoffed quietly but made no other protest. He still had not forgiven him for abandoning him – murdering his mother was another thing all together, something he couldn’t even fathom forgiving.  
   
“And you are right,” he continued, “my actions cannot be forgotten but you need to understand that I am not that man anymore. I have murdered in the past, I will admit that, but now…”  
   
Neal turned back to him, attempting to keep his expression neutral but he knew there was pain in his eyes. “Answer me honestly.”  
   
Rumple froze for a moment but then nodded.  
   
“When was the last time you killed someone?” Neal was surprised by how even his voice was and there was a flash of panic in the older man’s eyes and Neal swallowed thickly.  
   
“Have you killed here? In Storybrooke?”  
   
“No.” Rumplestiltskin answered immediately and then let out a little sigh as he continued more softly. “Almost, but no.”  
   
“Almost?” Neal questioned, eyeing him skeptically.  
   
Rumple nodded looking back to his son. “Before the curse was broken I thought Belle was dead. Regina had told me she had died back in our land long before the curse…and she convinced me it was her father’s fault. Once I regained my memories here I sought out her father and…” He glanced down, feeling shame under the eyes of his son. “I was angry and I attacked him. Miss Swan was able to stop me before I went too far.”  
   
“So you had every intention of killing that man…and you would have had Emma not stopped you?” Neal scoffed and shook his head. “And this is supposed to convince me that you’ve changed?”  
   
Rumple looked up sadly. “I let my anger get the better of me, yes but…”  
   
“There are no ‘buts’!’ Neal cut him off angrily. “You were going to murder an innocent man, there is no excuse for that! You said it was because of your anger that you murdered my mother and it was because of anger you were going to do the same to that man. How is that different?”  
   
“You don’t understand…”  
   
“No, you’re right, I don’t understand. I don’t understand what the hell goes through your head. I’m angry, I’ve been angry and hurt since I was fourteen years old. I had to live on my own, steal just to survive all the while living with these constant nightmares of you and that portal. I was this close to finding happiness with Emma until that was taken from me because of this curse so I had to live ten years without her. I had to spend ten years knowing I am the reason she was in jail. I had to spend ten years knowing that she was out there hurting because she had no idea what happened to me and now…now I have to live with the guilt of not only abandoning her but abandoning my son.” His voice cracked finally. “My son was born inside a jail and was sent here to this stupid town. I could have raised him, I could have stayed with Emma and we could have had a family. So you know what, I have a hell of a lot to be angry about but that still doesn’t make me want to murder anyone!”  
   
Rumple felt his heart breaking with every word out of his son’s mouth. The life he had to endure and the pain he was put through…  
   
“Bae…”  
   
“Yeah, I know…I don’t have your ‘magic’. Everything comes back to the Dark One, doesn’t it?” Neal clenched his jaw and shook his head quietly, letting out a shuddering breath after a moment. “Maybe you are still in there.” He looked up into the other man’s eyes, looking past the surface into the soul of Rumplestiltskin the spinner. “But you’re never going to come out, not while the Dark One also lives in there with you. It’s been too long…and you are too far gone.”  
   
“If there was a way…”  
   
Neal laughed bitterly. “Yeah, where have I heard that before?” He sighed and ran a hand over his face. “You may want to change but that’s not good enough. You had the chance to rid of the Dark One that night in the woods and you didn’t take it…and now it’s too late. This was the one place we could go where magic didn’t exist…and then you brought it here and as long as there’s magic, you will always be the Dark One no matter how hard you try to escape it. I want my father back more than anything but…” He shook his head slowly. “I think he’s gone.”  
   
A thick, tense silence fell over the pair. Rumplestiltskin stared at his son in sad desperation, pleading with him, hoping to get him to see what words could not prove.   
  
Neal kept his gaze cold and steady, just a twinge of sadness in his brown eyes.   
  
"Belle sees something in you...she sees the good." Neal continued weakly. "So I guess it has to be in there somewhere but right now...I just don't see it."   
  
Rumplestiltskin took a solid step forward, a look of determination flickering to life in his eyes. "Then I will show you." Before he had a chance to pull away, Rumple reached out and grabbed a hold of his hands. "You are all I have ever wanted - more than power, more than magic, even more than Belle. Now that you're here I won't let you go again."   
  
Neal swallowed thickly and kept his gaze, his hands feeling heavy in his father's tight grasp and then slowly he pulled away. "I'm not a kid anymore - you don't have the power to keep me or let me go. The only reason I came to Storybrooke in the first place is because of Henry, because I wanted to know my son, and because God knows what you would have done to Emma if she had come back empty handed."   
  
Rumple opened his mouth to protest but the words died in his throat. They both knew the truth of what he would have done and it only made the situation that more heartbreaking.   
  
"Henry is the only reason I'm staying." Neal continued. "Maybe you can give me another reason but I won't be holding my breath."   
  
"I won't let you down, Bae." Rumple vowed but could practically hear the empty promise.   
  
Neal pressed his lips together. "We'll see." He let out a sigh and turned his body towards the exit. "I should go." He said quietly and this time Rumple made no move to stop him.   
  
Without another look back Neal left his father standing alone.


	13. Chapter 13

Two weeks had passed quickly for Neal.   
  
After he left his father's that day he devoted all of his attention to Henry when he wasn't in school. When he was in school, Neal explored the town that, more and more each day, was looking like it'd become his home.   
  
Every day he spent with his son he fell more in love with him and it broke his heart to think about leaving him.   
  
Everyone he met was friendly and welcoming. He met Archie in the small park walking Pongo and later discovered from Henry that he was Jiminy Cricket back in the Enchanted Forest. Archie expressed his joy in knowing Henry’s father was in town and Neal could see how much the therapist cared about Henry and not just as his former patient.   
  
One night Neal ventured into the Rabbit Hole and there he met Leroy and a few of the other dwarves. Leroy, he had discovered, was Grumpy and was fiercely loyal to Snow. His distrust of him, as the Dark One’s son, was obvious but Happy and Sneezy had fallen into easy conversation with him.  
  
And despite being from that world, he had spent more time in this one, and found a silent amusement in talking to these classic fairytale characters.   
  
Rumplestiltskin, for obvious reasons, he would always see as a real person, who the story books got wrong. All these other people, however, he had only known them as stories. Yet there they sat, next to him at a bar, drunk and arguing about who won the last game of billiards.  
  
He stopped in at Granny's diner every so often and sat with Ruby and knew that, if he decided to stay, at least he had found one friend.

 

He even ran into Regina again one day at the diner. She glared at him suspiciously but he approached her with a friendly smile, determined to prove he was nothing like his father.

 

He discovered that Regina was less concerned about his relation to Rumplestiltskin and more about what his presence meant to Henry. And more importantly how his presence would affect her relationship with Henry.

 

He assured her that he wasn't there to steal Henry away, from Emma or from her, and that he just wanted to be a part of the boy's life in any way he could.

 

He didn't know much about the woman only what Emma and Henry had told him about the curse, and there definitely was a certain coldness about her but there was no denying her love and concern for Henry.

 

This woman had taken care of his son when he couldn't and he made sure she knew how grateful he was for that.

 

His genuine honesty and gratitude seemed to surprise her and possibly even made her a little more suspicious of him.

 

He knew she wouldn't trust him, being both the Dark One’s son and Henry's long lost father but he at least hoped she wouldn't do anything about it.   
  
When he ventured into the library one day and discovered Belle was the sole librarian he thought it'd be awkward. He thought he'd get yet another talk about forgiving his father.  
  
However, Belle only looked surprised to see him at first, and then delighted, greeting him by his preferred name and welcoming him to the Storybrooke library, with not a single mention of his father.   
  
She gave him a small tour and he observed the way she smiled the whole way through. She was obviously very passionate about books and the library was the perfect place for her. She was a sweet, delightful woman and he could certainly understand why his father had such affection for her. And Belle’s heart was so pure he could almost see why she loved him too. It was just in her nature.   
  
He liked to believe he had that nature but time had hardened him somewhat and there were some things he could not easily forgive.   
  
She issued him a library card almost instantly despite his insistence that he didn't know if he was staying.   
  
"Well, just for now then." She said with a knowing twinkle in her eye.   
  
Despite her connections to his father, Belle was yet someone else who he saw the potential for a friendship with especially as he spent more and more time in the library.

 

Belle had an extensive collection and books were one thing that were a comfort to him in the lonely days. When he first came to this world he spent a lot of time in libraries. They were warm, they were free, and he could sit for hours and just read.  
  
Often times he spent more time talking to Belle than reading and never, to his immense relief, was a single mention about his father made.   
  
Despite being romantically involved with the Dark One, Belle retained her independence and warm heart and Neal admired her greatly for that.   
  
His time spent with Henry consisted mostly of dinner at Granny’s, occasionally with Emma, much to both his and Henry's joy. He was aware of the complicated situation and that he and Emma were still rocky but he couldn't help but feel a little flood of warmth as they all sat together and laughed over dinner, a glimpse of how it all should have been if he hadn't left.   
  
Henry also took him to some of his favorite places in Storybrooke, including his "castle". Henry expressed that he wished he could show him his original castle but that it had been destroyed by a storm. Regina had built this new one for him and the rest of the kids in Storybrooke but it wasn't the same.   
  
Henry even took him over to the mines, the back entrance to which had now been guarded off with police tape and Henry explained, with a little too much glee, how he and Archie got trapped inside.  
  
"You went inside there?" Neal asked, his eyes widening and he was a little surprised at how his stomach clenched at the thought of his son in danger.  Henry nodded vigorously, the smile still on his lips.

 

“Yeah my Mom, Regina, wanted to keep me away so I knew she had to be hiding something from the Enchanted Forest down there.”

 

Neal scoffed a small laugh. Curse or no curse, looking at the structure Neal couldn't help but think Regina's command was that of a mother’s and not an Evil Queen hiding a curse. “And was she?”

 

Henry shrugged. “I never got far enough to find out. But I was right about the curse so there still could be something down there.”

 

Neal shook his head, a small smirk tugging at his lips, a part of him admiring Henry for his somewhat stupid bravery. Then he remembered he himself was ready to march onto the front lines of the Ogre Wars at only 14 years old, for duty only but he was still willing and realized his son had taken after him.

 

It was times like these, when he felt that natural paternal worry, and could see himself in the boy, that it really hit him he was actually a father to him. A fact that both thrilled and scared him to no end.

 

It also made him realize how and why his father had become the Dark One to save him. He had only known Henry for about a week and knew he'd do anything to protect him. At the same time he wondered how a father could ever abandon his son purposefully. He knew with every moment he spent with Henry that he could not let him go.

 

He suggested to Henry that Henry take him to another spot in town, so the adventurous little boy didn't get into his head to have a father/son journey into the mines.

 

Fortunately that didn't even seem to be an idea in his head as he readily agreed and walked happily away from the mines without a single glance behind him.

 

Henry was pretty much his grand tour master of Storybrooke and after spending just 12 days there he felt like he knew the town as well as its residents.

 

Despite the ever present knowledge of his father also residing in the town, it felt like home. He escaped the Enchanted Forest because he didn't want anything to do with that world anymore and it was strange to him that a town full of Enchanted Forest residents could make him feel such a sense of home and so quickly. Though he knew it mostly had to do with Henry.

 

The only other time he had even felt close to having a home was when he was with Emma. They didn't even have a proper home, they spent their days and nights in the yellow bug and sneaking in and out of motels, occasionally paying for a room when they managed to gather enough money for a night.

 

So home was never a place for Neal, it was always a person, first his Papa pre-Dark One, then Emma, and now Henry, (and Emma if he was lucky).

 

So it was with that in mind that he decided to stay. He couldn't give up Henry for anything  - stable job or no, his son was going to be his life now.

 

That was how he found himself on the docks with the Storybrooke Mirror opened on his lap and a frown on his lips as he scoured the pages for housing options.

 

“I think we've found your new favorite spot.”

 

A familiar, teasing voice broke his concentration from behind and he looked over his shoulder to find Emma smirking at him.

 

He smirked back. “I've always liked the water.” He explained and his eyes flickered out over the expanse of the bay.

 

He heard Emma walk the few steps more until she was at his side and then she sat down beside him, leaving a good space between them.

 

He swallowed as he debated his next words. “We never did make it to Tallahassee’s beach.” He finally said quietly.

 

He could both see and feel Emma tense up beside him even with the space between them. He closed his eyes and winced slightly. Of course that wasn't the right thing to say, he chastised himself. The subject of their past would always be a touchy one and it was still far too early to treat it lightly.

 

“Emma-” He started to apologize but she cut him off.

 

“Tallahassee doesn't have a beach.” Her response was calm and quiet.

 

His head lifted and his eyes opened as he turned to her. “What?”

 

She refused to look at him but there was the smallest hint of a sad smile on her lips. “I lived there for two years. The nearest beach was miles away...not even walking distance.”

 

He gaped at her, feeling his chest clench uncomfortably. “You went to Tallahassee?”

 

She nodded, slowly. “I thought maybe you'd be there.”

 

His heart dropped into his stomach and suddenly he felt a little nauseous. He swallowed thickly and let out a slow breath.

 

“There were so many times I thought about it.”

 

Emma blinked slowly and then turned to him, her jaw tense. “But you never did.”

 

“I never did.” He confirmed in a whisper and said nothing more because he didn't know what else he could say.

 

Even after he'd left her to go to jail, even after she'd given birth to their child in jail, she had still gone to Tallahassee with hope in her breaking heart, and waited another two years for him.

 

And he had never shown up.

 

He never even thought….

 

Well that was not completely true. He had thought about finding her. From the moment he left her there were hundreds, probably thousands, of moments he thought about going back but something always stopped him.

 

The thought of Emma's “destiny” or the fear of seeing his father again. He knew which one was the reason he had told himself for 11 years and he knew which one was the real answer.

 

Well, it was no wonder she hated him really. At the moment he also hated himself.

 

He felt like the snail the Dark One had crushed under his boot.

 

Emma let out a slow quiet breath. “What's done is done, Neal.” She said, her voice almost too calm. “We’ll get nowhere thinking about the past.”

 

He nodded his agreement but he knew their past would always be hanging over them.

 

“Yeah.” He murmured and the newspaper crinkled as his fingers clenched.

 

Emma's lips tightened as she looked down at the paper in her hands and her eyes widened.

 

“You've decided to stay?” Her voice tried to stay casual but he knew her well enough to detect the slight hint of panic.

 

He flattened out the crinkles in the paper and shrugged. “I guess I have, yeah. If I can find a place…” He scoffed. “There's no openings in here.”

 

Emma’s lips twitched up. “No one is looking for apartments in a cursed town.” She quipped. “I had the same problem when I first got here, that's how I ended up living with Mary Margaret. She was nice enough to let a complete stranger into her home.”

 

Neal looked at her with a smirk. “A complete stranger who also was her daughter.”

 

“Not that she knew that.” Emma responded and then shrugged. “Well I guess somewhere deep inside she did.” She scoffed and shook her head. “It's still so weird. Sometimes I look at her and still only see my friend, and then it hits me that she's my mother.”

 

“I can imagine.” Neal nodded. “I've always had my memories of the Enchanted Forest so I never had that culture shock. Except when I first got here.”

 

“How long did it take you to adjust?” She asked. “You were pretty young, weren't you?”

 

“Fourteen.” He nodded. “Almost fifteen. Adjusting was not easy. Even though I came here to escape magic I still sort of expected it to be here. I was used to being poor but I wasn't used to stealing and it weighed on my conscious and...well to be honest, I never felt truly comfortable here until I met you.”

 

He slowly looked over to her and met her slightly widened eyes. “I didn't know who you were, the fact that we came from the same world, and though we didn't have a home and we made it through by stealing, I finally felt like I belonged.”

 

Emma swallowed thickly. “Neal…”

 

His lips twitched sadly and he sighed. “Then when you were gone…” He paused, swallowed thickly and correcting himself, his voice thick, “... when I left…I felt lost again. I made a life here, as best I could, but truly I don't think I ever adjusted. I still felt like a stranger in this world. When you found me in New York, when you told me about Henry, and meeting Henry...I think I'm starting to feel something again. A sense of belonging. Here. Of all places.” He scoffed humorlessly.

 

Emma smiled slightly. “I know what you mean. There's something about this town.”

 

_Or the people in it._

 

Emma's quiet catch of breath beside him made him realize he had said that aloud and they met each other's eyes for a few, long, intense seconds.

 

“H-Henry.” He finally stuttered out and then cleared his throat. “I mean Henry.”

 

She blinked at him and then her shoulders visibly relaxed and she nodded.

 

She then cleared her throat and pushed a few strands of blonde hair behind her ear as she motioned to the newspaper. “Well you're not going to find anything in there.”

 

He let out a breath. “There has to be some kind of real estate agent here.”

 

“Oh there is.” Emma confirmed and Neal raised his brow inquisitively.

 

“You're just not going to like talking to him.”

 

“Why…” He cut himself off as he finally caught onto the way Emma was looking at him and he groaned miserably.

 

“You have got to be kidding. _He_ is the real estate agent?”

 

Emma shrugged apologetically. “He owns the town, only makes sense he owns the property.”

 

Neal swore under his breath and aggressively closed the newspaper to which Emma's brow rose in response.

 

“Everything comes back to him, doesn't it?” He growled.

 

Emma presses her lips together and silence fell over them for a few seconds as they looked over the foggy bay.

 

“I guess giving him a chance isn't working.” She said and he was grateful for the lack of judgement in her voice.

 

“He's been dark for too long.” Neal responded quietly. “I want to believe the man that is my father still lives within him but every time I try to see the good there's something new that proves otherwise. There are some things you just can't forgive.”

 

Emma was silent and again he wondered if his own words applied to him. Emma treated him a lot friendlier than he had been treating his father but there were still moments where she looked at him and he could see the hurt and anger behind those hazel eyes.

 

“And still you want to stay.” She finally said.

 

He let out a slow breath. “The fear of being around my father is not going to keep me from the ones I love. Not again.”

 

So there it was. His confession. He had let her go out of his own fear and while he regretted it it was something he could never take back but he was ready to prove to her that it would never happen again. Even if hope was lost for them, he could still make it right with Henry.

 

Emma turned to look at him and he slowly turned to meet her eyes. There was a pool of emotion swimming in her eyes, the realization of what he had said, the implication of what his words meant for the future, her conflicting feelings of how she felt about it showing in a sad vulnerability he had not yet seen in this Emma.

 

The corner of her mouth eventually twitched up in a half smile. “Well...I’m glad to hear that...for Henry’s sake.”

 

He allowed a small smile to form on his own lips and his heart swelled a little with hope as he observed the look on her face. Could it be possible she actually wanted him to stay? Or at the very least, didn’t mind that he was?

 

“For Henry.” He repeated again and then they both fell silent as they stared at each other. After a long few seconds, Emma finally broke their intense gaze, shifting uncomfortably as she looked out across the water.

 

He observed her for another few moments and then also turned his gaze out towards the water, content in the knowledge that Emma had at least accepted his decision openly and the fact that they could only go up from here.

 

 

\----------

 

Neal stood in front of the pawn shop for what seemed like hours. He had visited almost every shop over the last ten days but this was one he refused to enter. Even before he knew his father owned it the very building gave him a bad vibe.

 

He had tried desperately to keep away from his father at all costs and thankfully his father seemed to read his message loud and clear and didn't try to contact him any further.

 

He certainly didn't want to ask his father for any kind of help but he knew if he was going to stay in Storybrooke he had to.

 

He let out a large sigh and ignored the uncomfortable twisting in his stomach as he pushed the door open.

 

A small bell dinged above his head signaling his entrance. The shop appeared to be empty and he took a few seconds to look around the dim room.

 

There were objects of all kinds scattered around shelves and he wondered how many of them had been acquired from unfortunate deals.

 

He approached the counter and peered in through the glass, observing every object on display.

 

He heard movement from behind the wall and looked up, his heart racing in anticipation of having to deal with his father again.

 

His eyes were suddenly drawn to the familiar brown leather ball now rested on a shelf against the wall. The same one that Emma had used to identify him in New York and he realized she must have given it back to him. 

 

“Bae.”

 

His father's voice was low and laced with surprise, drawing Neal to where he stood in the doorway leading to the back of his shop.

 

He cleared his throat and tightened his features as he hobbled up to the counter to stand across from Neal. “Neal.” He corrected himself.

 

Neal nodded curtly. “Papa.” His greeting was cold and unfeeling.  He didn't want to call him by that affectionate name but anything else seemed too strange.

 

“What can I help you with, son?”

 

Neal cleared his throat softly. “I was told you are the Realtor?”

 

Rumplestiltskin’s eyes widened slightly. “Are you looking for a place to stay?”

 

Neal averted his gaze for a moment and nodded. “Yes….I…I want to stay.  For Henry. I won't leave my son.”

 

He didn't miss the flash of pain and regret that crossed his father's face and only felt a little bit of satisfaction from it. He apologized for it and while he was clearly still living in his dark ways, Neal almost wanted to believe he meant it.

 

Rumplestiltskin forced a tight smile to his lips. “Well I am very glad to hear that.” He paused for a few long seconds and then continued, almost hesitantly. “You know...I do own a rather large estate and you are more than welcome to a room.”

 

“No.” He snapped quickly and Rumplestiltskin winced at the harsh tone and Neal sighed. That one he did feel guilty for. “I just mean...I'm an adult now. I've lived on my own for years and I want to continue to do so.”

 

“Yes of course.” Rumplestiltskin nodded with a small, tight smile. He turned back towards the doorway, “Please, come this way.”

 

Neal raised his brow and leaned over, trying to peek into the mysterious room behind the shop.

 

“It’s my office.” Rumplestiltskin explained, noting his wary look. “All the paperwork is in there and we would be more comfortable.”

 

Neal pressed his lips together but nodded once and then followed his father into the back room.

 

His eyes widened as he took in the room. It was a little larger than a standard office and the room was filled with objects that could have been in the shop.

 

“What is all this?” Neal wondered aloud.

 

Rumplestiltskin hobbled over to a desk covered with stacks of paper. “These are objects that have a more... personal attachment. Objects that are not for sale.”

 

Neal swallowed thickly and his jaw clenched as he looked around at all the various objects and wondered how many were obtained through his deals and what exactly made them so “personal”.

 

“Take a seat.” Rumplestiltskin motioned to the couch behind him and Neal looked over his shoulder, eyeing the couch for the moment and then finally sitting down.

 

Rumplestiltskin came to sit beside him and Neal fidgeted only a little at his close proximity but then he handed him a binder. “These are all the housing listings. Apartments are in the front, houses towards the back.”

 

Neal raised one brow as he opened the binder to find sheets and sheets of listings.

 

“If all of these are available, why aren't they in the paper?” Neal asked.

 

“The town was cursed for 28 years. Nobody had an interest in moving and there was certainly no one coming in from the outside. Not until Miss Swan, of course.”

 

Neal pressed his lips together tightly and was about to turn another page when his father stopped him with a finger.

 

“Speaking of Miss Swan, there are quite a few open apartments in her building.”

 

Neal smiled wryly. “Emma may not hate me like I thought but I don't want to push my luck in living in her building.”

 

“You'd be closer to your son.”

 

Neal lifted his head. “Is there a reason you're pushing me to live near Emma?”

 

“I just want you to be happy.” Rumplstiltskin said.

 

Neal scoffed. “Yeah well I want Emma to be happy and I think she’d be happiest with me not living so close. I'll be in the same town as Henry...that's good enough for me.”

 

He continued flicking through the listings and then stopped at one, his heart stuttering.

 

“What about this one?” He asked his father and Rumplstiltskin leaned in over his shoulder.

 

“Ah, that is a good choice”

 

Neal hummed. “Seems almost too good to be true. Why is it vacant?”

 

Rumplstiltskin shrugged.  “Despite what you may think, I do not know everything about this town. Its true I created the curse but the town itself was Regina's design.  She decided who lived where and why.”

 

Neal looked up at him. “But you own it?”

 

“It is not owned by anyone at present, but I do have the ability to sell it to you, yes.”

 

Neal chewed on his lower lip as he glanced back down at the photograph. Such a gorgeous place in this town that was uninhabited seemed like it would be too good to be true. Still, it seemed to be calling his name.

 

“And that's the real price?” He asked, spotting the figure.

 

Rumplstiltskin nodded. “Indeed. Despite the rest of the world being in the 21st century and despite that the curse has been broken, this town remains stranded in the 1980’s. That includes the housing market.”

 

Neal scoffed under his breath. “This place only continues to get stranger.” He muttered.

 

“Is that the one you want?” His father asked.

 

Neal let out a sigh, a little bit of fear and excitement gripping at his heart. It was one thing to think about moving, another thing to decide, and a completely different thing to actually pick a place. A place that would bring him closer to Henry…and Emma.

 

“Well I will need to take a look at it in person but I think so. It seems perfect.”

 

So that was exactly what he did. He took a rather awkward ride with his father to the house and it looked just as it did on the picture.

 

The inside was much the same. Fully furnished but never used and Neal made Rumplstiltskin swear he hadn't used magic on it. Rumplstiltskin promised he didn't but then made some mysterious comment about how it must have been made for him.

 

 Neal was suspicious but couldn't help but agree. The house needed a little cleaning but it was perfect and a place he could see himself living. A place he could see Henry staying in with him, even if it was only a few times a month. A place that, perhaps one day, might be a home for a family.

 

\-----

 

“You are coming back, right?” Henry’s voices was muffled as he buried his face in his father's chest, his arms wrapped tight around him.

 

Neal clutched Henry to him, running one hand over his hair as he smiled. “Of course I'm coming back.”

 

“He better be coming back.” Charming said, almost threateningly, his arms folded as he stood in front of his truck.

 

Neal gave him a small reassuring smile and held onto Henry for a few more moments until the boy reluctantly pulled away, peering sadly up at him.

 

“It's only going to be a couple weeks, Henry. Three weeks at the most and then I'll be back.”

 

“For good?” Henry asked hopefully and Neal rubbed his shoulder with a smile.

 

“Yeah, Henry for good.” He cast a meaningful glance over to Emma who was standing near her father, mirroring his arm crossed stance. Her lips twitched in a tight smile and he knew she would need actions and not words from him.

 

“And you're _sure_ I can't come with you?”

 

Neal chuckled as he turned his attention back to Henry. “Yes, Henry...I'll be at work for most of the time, you'd be bored there all by yourself and you have school to go to. Don't worry, I'll be back before you know it.”

 

Henry sighed dramatically. “Alright.”

 

Neal smiled and ruffled his hair and Henry pulled a face before playfully swatting his hand away.

 

Neal kept his eyes on his son for a few more seconds before he moved over to where David was standing. “Thanks again for letting me use your truck.”

 

David grunted. “Sure but if it doesn't come back, you know Emma is good at finding people.”

 

“I know.” He cast another look at Emma before turning back to David. “But I'm coming back. I just put a good chunk of my savings on a down payment here, it would seem kind of pointless not to come back.”

 

“Yet you won't tell us where the house is.” Emma remarked dubiously, raising one brow.

 

Neal smirked. “It's a surprise, I told you.”

 

Emma rolled her eyes but allowed a half smile to cross her lips and he grinned right back at her.

 

“It's perfect.” He assured her. “And don't go asking my father about it either. I swore him to secrecy and I think he respects me enough to honor that.”

 

Emma chuckled. “Well I wouldn't have but your son…” She glanced past him to where Henry stood and Neal followed her gaze.

 

Henry snapped an innocent smile on his face as they both looked at him.

 

“He's very convincing.” Emma concluded. “Manipulative...definitely gets that from your side of the family.”

 

For a moment his heart dropped into his stomach but then he read her teasing tone. Still, he gave her a halfhearted smile. He wasn't exactly proud of having the genes of the manipulative Rumplestiltskin or that he passed that trait onto his son. Henry was still young and didn't have the influence of the Dark One but the possibility for corruption laid dormant in his DNA and Neal hated that.

 

Neal cleared his throat. “Henry, don't ask Mr. Gold about the house, alright? And don't go snooping to try and find it on your own.”

 

Henrys grin grew impossibly wider, brown eyes that matched his own twinkling in mischief. “Okay, I won't.”

 

Neal gave him a stern, warning look and Henry continued to grin.

 

Neal had spent enough time with Henry to know his curious spirit wouldn't keep him away, no matter what he said. If it was a few days he might be able to hold out but not a few weeks. All he could do was hope the eleven year old would stick to his word.

 

Neal rolled his eyes affectionately and turned back to Emma who shared a knowing look.

 

“I'll keep an eye on him.” Emma said quietly.

 

“Hey!” Henry protested. “I don't need to be watched!”

 

“Alright.” Emma agreed, if a bit skeptical. “But no snooping Henry, we mean it.”

 

“I know!” Henry raised his hand. “I won’t, really!”

 

Neal chuckled as he shared another look with Emma.

 

“So what's your plan?” Emma asked, changing the subject as she folded her arms.

 

“Well, I'll need to give my boss two weeks notice and then it will just depend on how long it takes me to pack up everything.”

 

Emma nodded and cast a sideways look at her father's truck. “Are you sure this will fit everything? It's not exactly a moving van.”

 

“Yeah, it should. I'm not taking any of the big stuff, I'll probably sell most of the furniture. The house came furnished, which I guess I should be suspicious of because of who sold it to me but I can't exactly hire a moving van to take my stuff to Storybrooke can I?”

 

“True.” Emma nodded. “It's not exactly on the map.”

 

“Nor do we want anyone discovering this little town of ours.”

 

He surprised himself how easily that came out. He had bought a house with every intention to move in for good but it continued to startle him how easily he was able to accept a magic town, where his father resided, as his home.

 

It must have surprised Emma too because her eyes widened slightly as she stared at him.

 

Though he wondered if that was because she was still trying to get used to the idea of living in the same town as him again.

 

“Definitely not.” David said, suddenly breaking the thick tension that was forming between them. “So make sure no one follows you back.”

 

Neal’s lips twitched up as he glanced toward David. “Don't worry, I'm good at disappearing.”

 

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Emma's face twitch and her jaw clench.

 

“I'm coming back.” He assured, turning back to her and her lips pulled into a tight smile and she nodded. 

 

“You should get going.” She said. “It's a long drive to New York.”

 

He nodded slowly. “Right.” He kept his eyes on her for a few more long seconds and then cleared his throat, turning back to Henry.

 

“Be good for your mom, buddy.”

 

Henry smiled sadly and nodded. He chewed on his lower lip for a moment before he rushed forward to hug him again. “I'll miss you.”

 

Neal swallowed past the sudden thickness in his throat and he wrapped his arms around his son. “I'll miss you too, Henry.”

 

They remained in their hug for another few seconds before reluctantly pulling apart. Neal ruffled his hair again before looking to Emma.

 

“See you soon.” He voice was low but full of promise.

 

Emma's lips twitched for a moment as she eyed him and then she rolled her eyes, groaning quietly as she took a step to close the distance between them.

 

Neal froze and his eyes widened as Emma's arms awkwardly surrounded him. He barely had time to react before she pulled away. “Good luck, Neal.” She let out a deep breath. “See you soon.”

 

He couldn't help but smile at her and hope fluttered in his chest as she smiled back. Then she quickly averted her gaze and the moment was gone.

 

Neal let out a breath and turned to David expectantly.

 

“I'm not going to hug you.” David said pointedly and Neal laughed.

 

“I don't expect you to.” He held out his hand and David sighed before reaching into his pocket to dig out the car keys and dropped them into Neal's palm.

 

“One scratch or dent....” David pointed at him threateningly. “I don't care who your father is.”

 

“Dad.” Emma rolled her eyes in exasperation and Neal noticed immediately that a loving warmth flickered to life in the Prince's  eyes. It must have still been a recent thing for Emma to call him that.

 

“It's fine.” Neal waved it off with a chuckle. “Don't worry, I'll take good care of her.”

 

David nodded and then Neal walked over to the door and pulled it open.

 

He hopped in the driver's seat, started the car, closed the door and then rolled down the window, casting one last glance at his somewhat family.

 

David stood once again with his arms crossed standing near Emma who was slightly more relaxed with her arms at her sides and the barest hint of a smile on her lips.

 

Henry moved to stand in front of them, nearest to the truck and stared back at him with big sad eyes.

 

Neal gave him another reassuring smile. “See you soon, Henry.”

 

Henry then smiled and nodded. “See you, Dad.”

 

Emma moved up a few steps, placing her hands on Henrys shoulders.

 

Neal gave them a final wave, and they both waved back as he pulled out into the road.

 

He kept glancing in the rear view mirror, watching them as they slowly became smaller. He hated to leave them but he knew this time he was coming back.

 

His eyes drifted off their own accord to his father's shop as he passed it on the way out of town. He was almost surprised his father hadn't shown his face to say goodbye, but knowing him he was probably watching in some secret hiding place.

 

Within a few minutes, he passed the Storybrooke line and instantly he felt a difference in the air alone.

 

There was something strange about that town, concealed in magic, and there was a tingle in his bones throughout his stay that had disappeared as soon as he crossed the town line.

 

He let out a deep sigh but then smiled to himself. He was venturing back into a world with magic and monsters and danger but he was doing it for family, and that was the most important thing of all.

 

\--------

 

His boss was disappointed to say the least when Neal gave him his two weeks notice but when Neal explained the situation he let him go without a fight and a promise that he would always have a job there.

 

It occurred to him, as he worked his last days,  that although he had secured a home for himself in Storybrooke, he had not secured a job, or had any clue what'd he do for a job.

 

He had spent a good amount of money on the down payment but he still should have had enough to get by until he figured it out. He survived on a lot less before and in much worse circumstances.

 

He knew that Emma would help him if it came to that, or he hoped she would and if not her, then his father but he knew that would be his very last resort. He most certainly did not want to end up working for his father.

 

Over the course of 17 days, Neal managed to sell most of his large furniture and belongings he didn't need.

 

He had started an odd collection of things over the years and some had deep personal value but others could be easily parted with. He only had David's truck to work with and there was only so much he could fit in there.

 

The few friends he had made at work were sad to see him go but threw him a going away party a few nights before he was set to head back to Storybrooke. One last wild night in Manhattan, they said, and he couldn't refuse.

 

He spent a good part of the night explaining Henry’s existence as best he could and showing off his son. He never thought he'd be a father, none the less be _that_ sort of father who would brag endlessly about his child. But Henry was a bright boy and he was his and he had eleven years worth of bragging to catch up for.

 

He would be sad to leave New York. Ever since he arrived in this world, he felt most comfortable in a big city. He could get lost in the large population, especially as a thief. New York was by far the largest city he'd lived in and he loved every moment of it. It had been his home but now Henry was his home, and wherever Henry was that's where he'd be.

 

After his two weeks were over at work he spent the last few days finishing up cleaning out the apartment and then visiting his favorite places around the city.

 

Then before he knew it, he had loaded up David's truck with everything he needed and said a final goodbye to Manhattan.

 

He left early morning on a Monday and decided to drive straight through, as long as a drive as it was, he didn't trust leaving his things over night while he stayed in a sleazy motel.

 

He stopped every few hours for a rest and to get something to eat but just over nine hours after he left Manhattan he found himself crossing over the line back into Storybrooke with a smile on his face.

 

He could feel the tingle of magic in his bones as soon as he crossed the town line, but he also felt the tingle or excitement of getting to start this new chapter in his life. This new chapter that would involve him.being a father, of getting to know Emma again, and very possibly making peace with his father. The last one was a long shot but it wasn't completely out of the realm of possibilities.

 

He drove through the main streets, waving to people who recognized him.

 

He decided he would wait until he was set up in his new house to call Emma and let her and Henry know he was back.

 

So he knew he probably shouldn't have been surprised when he pulled up in front of the house and spotted not only Emma and Henry but also Emma's parents waiting at his doorstep.

 

He parked the car in front of the house and then stepped out of the vehicle with a laugh. He crossed in front of the truck as Henry came running toward him with a grin.

 

Neal grunted as the eleven year old came plowing into him with a bear hug. “Welcome home, Dad.”

 

Neal beamed, his heart welling at the words and he wrapped his arms tightly around his son.

 

“Thanks, Henry.” He chuckled and then narrowed his eyes playfully as Henry pulled away and looked up at him. “But hey I thought I told you not to snoop and look for the house.”

 

Henry grinned unapologetically with a shrug and Neal laughed again.

 

“You were taking too long to get back, I wanted to see it!”

 

“How did you know this was the one?”

 

Henry ducked in his bottom lip and averted his gaze and Neal felt his heart drop. “Did you ask Mr. Gold?”

 

“I didn't _ask_ him.” Henry mumbled and Neal narrowed his eyes.

 

Henry’s eyes sheepishly met his father's. “I was just taking a walk and he was there! He said he wanted to talk and he asked me if I was excited to have you move here and maybe gave me some little clues to where it might be.”

 

Neal sighed, dropping his head. He didn't particularly like the idea of his son hanging around his father but he knew he couldn't stop that from happening not when they both possessed the same family stubbornness.

 

“I'm sorry.” Henry frowned. “I know you said you didn't want me to ask him or look for the house.”

 

Neal looked up at and took in the sight of his son’s big remorseful brown eyes. He was still a kid, a manipulative kid but a kid none the less. And he was still new to this fathering thing and scolding the boy would probably start to happen a lot especially as he grew into a teenager. For now, he'd let it slide.

 

He gave him a small smile. “It's alright this time Henry. I know you were excited.”

 

Emma walked up to stand beside Henry, slipping a hand on his shoulder. “I'm the future Henry, you have to listen to us alright?”

 

Neal's stomach flipped at the small but significant word. Perhaps they weren't together but Emma considered him at the very least an equal co-parent to her.

 

Henry nodded. “I'm know I'm sorry.”

 

Emma slipped her hand down to rub his back and then looked back to Neal, giving him a small smile.

 

“I tried to keep an eye on him, but if there's one thing he's good at its sneaking around.”

 

Henry grinned almost proudly and Neal chuckled quietly.

 

“Yes he told me all about the mine story.”

 

Emma groaned loudly with a roll of her eyes. “Oh God, that was a terrifying day.” She cast a soft glare down at the boy and he giggled sheepishly.

 

Neal smiled at them and then his attention was drawn to the two other people making their way towards them.

 

Snow smiled warmly once she caught his gaze. “I’m so glad you decided to stay, Neal.” She said once she stopped at her daughter’s side. “It will be good for Henry to have his father around.”

 

Neal’s smile widened and he opened his arm for Henry to slide against him. He pulled Henry against his side in a one armed hug and Henry grinned.

 

“Thanks, I’m glad I’m staying too.” His eyes flickered to Emma’s father who stood behind her, his arms folded lightly and though Neal didn’t expect the same welcoming sentiment from the prince, he did smile and give a small, approving nod.

 

“Well,” David finally said, unfolding his arms and clapping his hands together, “What do you say we help Neal unpack?”

 

“Alright!” Henry grinned excitedly and tore away from his father’s side and dashed towards the truck.

 

Immediately all four adults’ eyes widened as Henry approached the large, heavy furniture tied down to the back of the truck.

 

“Hey, kid, slow down!” Emma called after him and then exchanged a glance with Neal before jogging after him.

 

She placed a hand on his shoulder as Henry eyed the back of the truck, eager to help.

 

“Why don’t you let us take care of the big stuff and you can help with some of the boxes?”

 

Henry pondered this for a moment, chewing on his lower lip and then nodded. “Yeah, alright. I don’t think I could have carried the big stuff anyway.”

 

Neal chuckled as he came up on Henry’s other side. “Not just yet, bud but you’ll definitely be able to carry some of the boxes. We just have to get the furniture out first.”

 

David walked up beside Emma and nodded to himself as he looked over everything in the truck. “There’s not too much here, it looks like. Shouldn’t take too long but let’s get started shall we?”

 

David, Neal, Snow and Emma worked together to get Neal’s bed, dresser, a table and a few chairs out from the truck and set up in the house. Henry happily did his part and carried most of the boxes and even set them down in the appropriately labeled rooms.

 

All in all there really wasn’t too much to carry in and they were done unloading the truck within the hour.

 

Neal and Emma came outside to check if there was anything else in the truck to find Henry carrying one last large box labeled for the bedroom.

 

The eleven year old looked tired and like he was struggling just a little to carry the box.

 

“Need help there, bud?” Neal asked as he walked towards them.

 

“Nope.” Henry grunted, determined. “It’s the last one, I can do it.”

 

Emma smiled at him as he walked slowly past them and Neal knew he would be able to carry it all the way in.

 

David stood by the truck and as Emma and Neal looked over to him, he gave them a smile and a thumbs up, indicating the truck was empty.

 

“Thanks for all your help today, Emma.” Neal said, turning to her with a warm smile.

 

Her lips twitched up in a small smile and she nodded. “It was no trouble. Besides, I couldn’t let Henry do all the work...even if he wanted to.”

 

Neal laughed, looking over his shoulder to where Henry disappeared into the house. “Yeah, he’s a hard worker that kid.”

 

“He is.” Emma agreed, also turning to look over his shoulder. They both smiled when they heard Henry’s laughter from inside followed soon by Snow’s.

 

“So, what do you think? Of the house?” Neal asked, looking back at her.

 

Emma pursed her lips and gave the house another once over before she nodded and smiled. “It’s nice...it suits you, I think. I guess it’s almost…” She suddenly trailed off, her face slackening and he frowned.

 

She didn’t have to finish for him to know what she was thinking because he had been thinking the same thing too. They had never gotten far enough to look at actual houses when they were planning their life together for Tallahassee but the house was something he probably would have picked out for them back then and judging by the look on her face, she thought so too.

 

She slowly lifted her eyes to meet his and their gaze remained locked for a good few long seconds. Her green eyes were filled with longing, fear, pain and such sadness it broke his heart all over again. He tried to reflect in his own eyes remorse and the same longing for what they could have had.

 

Her lips twitched but never made it to a smile and then she sighed and turned her head the other way to look across the yard.

 

She turned her body, crossed her arms and then finally a small smile twitched at her lips. “I do like the view though.”

 

Neal smiled and also turned his body the same direction. “I thought you might.”

 

The front yard was small with green grass, a path leading towards the front door, and a few bushes lining the front of the house. There was the street and then just on the other side of the street was a small patch of land, lined mostly with trees except for a small, barren patch directly opposite the front of the house where the blue water of the bay sparkled in the sunlight.

 

“You really do like the water, don’t you?”

 

Neal watched the gentle, rippling water for a few seconds and then turned to look at the woman beside him. Her arms were still crossed, a small defensive position against the emotions that were no doubt plaguing her, but her face had relaxed and a small smile sat on her lips as she continued to watch the gently flowing water.

 

They had both lost so much throughout their lives and there was still so much anger and hurt buried just underneath the surface – between them and between he and his father.

 

But he had found something here in Storybrooke– a good something and even though he knew it would take a while to get past all of that dirt, it was the start of a brand new, hopeful beginning for all of them.

 

“Yeah, I really do."


	14. Epilogue

_ Six years later… _

 

Neal smiled as he watched the scene before him. 

 

His little girl, turning four that day, ran to and from the porch, her blonde hair flipping around her shoulders as she grabbed things to place into the wagon parked in front of the house. 

 

A few blankets and towels, a picnic basket and several sand toys were being piled into the red wheeled device. 

 

She spun around after placing the last shovel into the wagon, her sundresses twirling with her and grinned brightly. “That's all of it, Daddy!” She ran the short distance to meet him at the porch, stopping at his feet and bouncing up and down excitedly. “Can we go now, please?”

 

She flashed another wide grin, batting her eyelashes and for the millionth time Neal was struck by how much she really looked like her mother. 

 

Neal chuckled and reached out to play with the curls falling at her shoulders careful to avoid the pretty green bow on the top of her head. 

 

“It’s almost time, Mar. We're still waiting on Mommy, Henry and Jake to be ready.”

 

Mary Cassidy sighed dramatically and peered around her father's legs into the open doorway to the house to try and get a glimpse of the rest of their family. 

 

“Why do they take so long?” Mary wondered, leaning with a huff against Neal's legs. 

 

“Jake was being a little fussy this morning.”

 

“Did you tell him we’re going to the beach?” Mary asked, looking up at him. 

 

Neal smiled at her. “We did baby but he's still a little young to understand.”

 

Mary sighed again and folded her arms but remained quiet as she stared into the doorway. 

 

Her face suddenly  lit up and she jumped off her father, running around him to attach herself instead to the young man that just appeared in the doorway. “Henry! Are you ready to go to the beach?”

 

Henry smiled down at her and reached down to scoop her up into his arms. Mary wrapped her arms around her big brother's neck and smiled at him eagerly. 

 

“I'm ready, are you?”

 

Mary nodded vigorously and used one arm to point to the fully wagon loaded. “All set!” She turned back to him with a pout. “But Mommy and Jake are taking  _ forever. _ ”

 

Henry laughed. “I'm sure they'll be here any second, kiddo. But let's see what you've got in that wagon, huh?” Henry stepped off the porch and shared a smile with his father as he passed him carrying Mary back to the wagon. 

 

“Did you pack this all by yourself?” Henry gasped in awe once they were near and Mary grinned, pointing and explaining each object inside the wagon. 

 

Neal folded his arms lightly over his chest, smiling as he watched them. Henry seemed to be growing more and more everyday and at 17 he was now an inch or two taller than both Emma and himself. He had grown up so much since the eleven year old Neal had first met, losing some of that childlike innocence but never losing his good and hopeful heart. Despite almost being a man himself Henry genuinely enjoyed spending time with his younger family members - he even passed on the good ol’ story book to Mary, allowing her to discover the magical history of their little town. 

 

His clever intelligence only grew as he did and what were once his playful “Operations” had become thoughtful strategies to defeat any magical threat that descended upon Storybrooke over the years. 

 

Neal wondered when Henry stopped being a small child they had to protect and became a valuable member to their team. It seemed to happen so quickly and it probably had to do in part to the fact he was already a preteen when they first met and he had already entered his teens by the time Mary came around and he had been, although very moody at times, a very helpful big brother to the baby. 

 

It was hard to grasp that they had one more year with him before he decided what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. That he was the father to both what will be a senior in high school and a one year old.

 

There was a sudden screech from the aforementioned one year old behind him. 

 

“Neal, incoming!”

 

He turned around and his smile widened and he lowered himself to a squat as his son raced toward him on wobbly legs. 

 

The baby let out another happy screech as he fell into his father's open hands and Neal lifted him up into his arms. 

 

“Well, don't you look ready for the beach?” 

 

His son was dressed in dark blue swim trunks and a white tank top that said “Little Prince” in gold letters, something his grandpa Charming had bought him, and a white summer cap on his head. 

 

Jacob waved his arms happily, exclaiming loudly, “Da!”

 

“It was a chore and a half to get him in that outfit.” 

 

Neal lifted his head at Emma's voice and his breath caught as he caught sight of her. 

 

She was dressed in a white sundress that provided sight to the red bikini she wore underneath and her long blonde hair fell over her shoulders in gentle waves. 

 

Despite giving birth to two children in the last four years, she retained her beautiful figure and even after five years of marriage she was still able to steal his breath. He thanked God everyday that she forgave him and gave them another chance. 

 

“Did you give your Mommy a hard time this morning?” Neal cooed at his son, tickling his round belly and Jake squealed. 

 

“Daddy! Mommy!” 

 

Both parents turned towards the call where their young daughter stood near the wagon, her arms crossed impatiently. 

 

“I think someone is a little excited.” Emma laughed. 

 

“A little bit.” Neal also laughed and then they started walking towards the wagon. 

 

Mary released her arms and grinned as they approached, bouncing on her heels. “Are you ready  _ now?”  _

 

“Yes, we're all ready now.” Neal confirmed with a smile. “Why don't you climb on in the wagon, sweetie?”

 

“Okay!” Mary twirled around and climbed into the little space in front of the wagon. 

 

“Make a little room for your brother, Mar.” Neal instructed as he stood next to her. 

 

Mary giggled, glancing at her older brother standing on the opposite side of her. “Henry can't fit in here Daddy.”

 

Neal laughed. “You know I didn't mean Henry…” He shifted Jake in his arms and started to lower him down into the wagon in front of Mary. 

 

He let out another happy squeal flailing his arms and Mary flinched away to avoid the wildly flapping limbs. “Jakey…” She whined and Neal lightly grabbed his arms and pressed them down. 

 

Jake looked up at his father inquisitively, his little lips parting as he stuck out his tongue. 

 

“Hold on to him good, Mar.” 

 

Mary wrapped her arms around him and pulled him against her chest and Jake smiled, squealing again. 

 

“Good girl, just like that.” Neal praised and then nodded to Henry who then stepped in front of the wagon to take hold of the handle.

 

“Is everyone aboard the magical red carriage?” Henry asked and Mary giggled, which caused Jake to try and imitate, laughing himself. 

 

“Yes, Princess Mary and Prince Jacob are all ready for the trip to the beach!”

 

Henry smiled. “Alright, off we go then!” 

 

Both smaller children let out a squealing of delight as a Henry tugged the wagon into motion, setting off down the walkway towards the street. 

 

Neal and Emma exchanged a smile and wrapped an arm around each other as they followed close behind the wagon. 

 

It was about a five minute walk from their house to the public beach, a convenience they had well taken advantage of over the years. 

 

There were already a few families out on the small beach, including Emma's parents. 

 

Snow smiled and immediately ran over to her family as they came into view. “It is about time you got here.” 

 

Emma rolled her eyes. “Little Prince there was giving us some trouble.” She nodded to Jake who had started flailing again at the sight of the beach and Mary had a similar reaction, grinning from ear to ear as she wiggled in her seat. 

  
  
  


“Hi Grandma!” Mary turned to look over her shoulder and waved. 

 

Snow grinned at the sight of her grandchildren.  “Hello sweetheart!” 

 

Finally Henry stopped the wagon where the sand met the grass and managed to scoop his little brother up into his arms before Mary scrambled excitedly out of the wagon. 

 

She ran immediately over to her grandmother who scooped her up into her arms. “How is my little princess today?”

 

“I'm good! Grandma did you know it's my birthday?” 

 

Snow mock gasped. “It is? And how old are you today?” 

 

“Four!” She exclaimed holding up her hand, all five fingers extended. Snow giggled quietly and lowered her thumb into her palm. 

 

“Four.” She corrected softly. 

 

“Oh yeah.” Mary extended her thumb and then curled it back in, pushing her hand out again. “Four!” 

 

Snow smiled at her and leaned in to kiss her palm to which Mary giggled. 

 

“My, my, you are a big girl.” 

 

Mary nodded vigorously with a grin. “I am! Grandma, is Charlie here?” 

 

“Yes he's with your grandpa right over there.” 

 

Snow pointed to where David stood near a blanket and a small boy, around five years old, who was playing in the sand. 

 

David smiled and waved at them and Mary waved back and then squirmed to get down. Snow lowered her to the ground and Mary took off in a run towards her grandfather and uncle.

 

She quickly hugged David and then immediately plopped herself down beside Charlie. 

 

“Hi Charlie! What are you making?” 

 

Charlie looked over at her. “It's gonna be a castle! Like the one Mommy and Daddy used to live in.”

 

“Cool! Can I help?” She asked, already reaching for a shovel and Charlie nodded. 

 

“Sure...you can make that side.” He pointed to the left side of the small mound of sand. Mary immediately dug into the sand and the two started working together to build the sandcastle.

 

The adults smiled fondly as they watched the children interact.

 

Snow then turned to greet Henry and take the wiggly baby out of his arms. 

 

“Hello my Little Prince.”

 

Henry rolled his eyes affectionately. “Are you ever  going to stop calling me that?”

 

“No I'm not.” Snow answered easily with a smile. “Despite the fact we don't live in the Enchanted Forest, you are royal blood Henry. You are a Prince by birthright.”

 

Henry smiled. “Alright.” He conceded with a nod. “But what part of me is “little”?” He asked with a chuckle as he motioned to his own tall frame that towered a good few inches over his grandmother. 

 

“Oh, you'll always be little to me.” Snow replied, eyes twinkling and Henry shook his head with a small laugh. 

 

“Besides, I was mostly referring to this little prince.” She cooed, turning to the baby in her arms. 

 

Jake looked back at her through bright green eyes and squealed, flailing his arms happily. 

 

“Do you mind if I take him?” Snow asked her daughter and Neal and they both immediately shook their heads and Emma waved her approval. 

 

“Please!” 

 

Snow grinned and shifted Jake's weight on her hip. “Let's go see Grandpa Charming.” She cooed as she started down the beach towards her husband and the two children.

 

“I guess I'll go join them.” Henry said with a small sigh but genuine smile. 

 

“Have fun.” Neal wished with a light chuckle and Emma's brow twitched in amusement as she waved him off.

 

Henry took off in a sprint down the sand, landing in a leap near Mary and Charlie, effectively startling the two children into fits of giggles. Then he plopped himself down across from them and started to ask about their castle. 

 

The crunching of pebbles under tires suddenly drew Neal and Emma's attention behind them as a familiar black car pulled up. 

 

Once the car was in park, Belle stepped out of the passengers side and waved to them with a friendly, warm grin. 

 

Neal and Emma smiled and waved back. 

 

Belle moved to the rear passenger door as the driver's door opened and Rumplestiltskin slowly stepped out of the car. 

 

He immediately caught his son’s gaze and a small smile formed his lips as he lifted his hand in a wave. 

 

Neal smiled back and did the same. 

 

Not a few seconds later, a whirl of brown hair raced around the front of the car.

 

“Ana, be careful!” Belle called after the little girl who went racing towards Neal.

 

Neal grinned and dropped to a squat as she ran directly into his open arms.

 

“Neal!” Ana greeted happily, winding her arms around her brother’s neck. 

 

“Ana!” Neal echoed back happily as he stood up and then swooped in to press a sloppy kiss to her cheek. 

 

She squealed and tried to pull her face away. “Neaaaaal.” She whined and he laughed. 

 

Ana was five years old, a few months younger than Charlie who was almost six and a few months older than her niece, Mary. 

 

The men had joked that there was something in the water that caused the three women to become pregnant so close together. 

 

The women insisted it was only a matter of timing and they were all glad that their children had friends in each other, even if their familial relations was a complicated mess.

 

Anamarie Gold was the spitting image of her mother with wavy brown hair and bright blue eyes and had also inherited her gentle, kind and loving spirit. She loved her big brother Neal with all her little heart and Neal loved her just as much. 

 

It had taken a little while but Rumplestiltskin was able to prove to his son that he had changed for the better. Their relationship was still a little on the rocks when he and  Belle were married but Neal was asked to be the best man and didn't refuse the offer. 

 

It was a small ceremony with only himself and Belle’s father in attendance. The older man seemed just as uncomfortable as Neal was to be there and not so thrilled that his daughter was marrying the Dark One. 

 

However, it was his father's and Belle’s genuine vows and the pure love reflecting in each other's eyes as Archie named them husband and wife that really touched Neal's heart and made him finally start to see the light that was still present inside of the Dark One’s soul.

 

It was only a few months after Neal and Emma's wedding, to which Rumplestiltskin was happily invited, that Belle announced her pregnancy. 

 

And only a few months after that that Emma announced hers.  

 

Even though Belle was technically his step mother, Neal saw her first and foremost as a friend who also happened to be married to his father. 

 

It was her friendship and their closeness that helped him draw closer to his father over the years and then finally, learn to forgive him. 

 

Belle and Emma bonded over their shared pregnancy, with Belle giving the other woman advice about how to deal with morning sickness and other pleasant experiences of early pregnancy, despite Emma jokingly tell her that she had indeed been pregnant before. It had been thirteen years though and Emma was grateful for the support and advice. Then Belle became a model of a graceful pregnancy and Rumplestiltskin, the picture of an anxious father. 

 

That pushed Neal and his father even closer together as Rumplestiltskin opened up to his son about his fear of failing the new baby. Neal expressed the same fear, having not been around for Henry due to his own mistakes. 

 

Then Anamarie was born and Rumplestiltskin fell in love. Doubts and fears of his own shortcomings plagued his mind and he still made mistakes but there was no doubt he was trying to be the best possible man he could be for his family. 

 

The little baby was so sweet, she had everyone wrapped around her little finger, especially her big brother. 

 

Neal spent his time for five months between his pregnant wife, his teenage son and his newborn sister. He was rarely found anywhere else and was happy in every moment. 

 

That was until his own daughter was born. A perfect little angel that he felt such a deep, profound love for. 

 

His own little family didn't separate him from the rest of his family, however. Because the girls were so close in age, Belle and Emma had them together all the time and once they got a little older they brought in another little playmate: Charles Nolan. 

 

Emma's little brother was kind, gentle and protective of the girls and the three of them quickly became inseparable. 

 

Neal wondered every day over the last several years how he has become so lucky. How he had gone from a poor, near orphan boy in the Enchanted Foresr, to an actual orphan in this world, to a common thief living a miserable lonely life, to this life...one full of rich love and surrounded by family. 

 

“Neal, where is Mary?” Ana wondered, already looking around anxiously for her best friend. 

 

Neal smiled at her and turned around, pointing down the sand where Mary, Charlie and Henry sat.

 

She gasped happily and wiggled in his arms. He chuckled and placed her down and then she was immediately racing down the sand, calling out Mary and Charlie's names.

 

The other two children looked up at the sound of her voice and broke into smiles and waves. 

 

Mary and Ana hugged before Ana plopped herself down beside Mary, already reaching for a shovel of her own.

 

“They are so cute.” Emma laughed.

 

“They are, aren't they?” Belle agreed with a small smile as she came to stand near them, Rumplestiltskin just behind her.

 

Emma and Belle embraced in a warm friendly hug as Rumplestiltskin and Neal shared a small smile and a nod of greeting. 

 

“She was so excited to come.” Belle said once they parted. “Especially when I said it was a birthday party. She was bouncing off the walls all morning.”

 

Neal laughed, turning towards them. “Yes, so was Mary. Eventually I just had to get her outside so Emma could get the baby ready.”

 

“They're joined at the hip.” Emma laughed. “All three of them.”

 

“I am so glad they have each other though.” Belle said with a warm smile. 

 

“One very unusual family but an extraordinary friendship.” Neal said.

 

“One day we will have to explain their relationship to each other.” 

 

“One day.” Belle agreed. “Ana I think is starting to understand. She finally stopped calling your parents her grandparents.”

 

Emma laughed as the others grinned in amusement. 

 

“My parents don't mind.” Emma shrugged. “As far as they are concerned, Ana is just as much family as Charlie or Mary and Jake. If it makes it easier for Ana, they'd be happy to be grandparents.” 

 

A smile lit up Belle’s face. “That is very sweet of them but I think they need to start to understand  why Rumple is Grandpa to Mary but Papa to her and Neal is brother to her but Dad to Mary.”

 

Neal scoffed, shaking his head. “My head hurts thinking about I can't imagine must be for a five year old.” 

 

“Ah, they are very bright children.” Rumplestiltskin said with a small, proud smile. “They will learn. We have all adjusted and this is their normal...they don't know anything else.”

 

Belle smiled at her husband and slipped her arm through his, leaning into his side as she nodded her head in agreement. 

 

“And it doesn't seem to deter them from being so close.” Emma added just as a simultaneous  loud screech came from down the beach. 

 

The three little ones sat around a now unformed pile of sand and their incessant joyous giggles reached their ears. 

 

Henry suddenly stood up with an empty pail and raced towards the shoreline and simultaneous shouts of “Hurry Henry!” “We need more water!” followed him.

 

“He's so good with them.” Belle observed as Henry ran back and plopped back down.

 

There was another round of loud screeches followed by mature laughter as he flicked water at all three of them. Then they all retaliated, sticking their little fists into the pail and splashing Henry right back. 

 

The teenager fell onto his back dramatically and the children burst into laughter as they then started covering him in the sand. Even the screeching high pitched giggle of the youngest Cassidy still in grandmother's arms joined the noise.

 

Emma and Neal smiled proudly. 

 

“Yeah, he's a good kid.” Emma beamed.

 

“Shall we go join them?” Belle suggested with a smile. 

 

Emma let out a little sigh but her lips twitched in a genuine smile. “If we must.” 

 

Belle laughed softly. “Yes, it is nice to take a step back from all of it, isn’t it?” 

 

Emma hummed, nodding for effect. “Amazingly, my parents seem to love every single second of it!” 

 

She motioned to the couple on the beach with the kids, Snow having passed Jake onto Charming with both of their full attention on the baby and grinning from ear to ear. 

 

“Well, I think they have your son covered for a while.” Belle said. “And Henry just owns all of the other’s attentions. Maybe we could just sit back and watch for a little while.” 

 

“Here’s to hoping.” Neal said with a smirk. 

 

Belle smiled fondly at him and then nodded her head towards the beach. “Come on. The fun is down there, anyway.” 

 

They all exchanged a smile and Neal took Emma’s hand and led the way across the sand with Rumple and Belle following close behind. 

 

The rest of the day went by filled with fun and laughter and only a little bit of chaos. 

 

A few of Mary's other friends from preschool were invited and joined them, including Cinderella’s Alexandra who had a few years on all the other children but still was more than willing to partake in the fun. 

 

They built several sand castles, naming one for each kingdom their parents had told them existed back in the Enchanted Forest. 

 

After they got bored with the sandcastles, they headed into the water, with Emma and Neal joining them and spent a good hour splashing and swimming and romping through the gentle waves. 

 

While Emma and Neal had collected the gifts, and Mary grew even more excited at the sight of the brightly wrapped boxes and gift bags, they told her she wouldn't be able to open them until they returned back home where dinner and cake would also be served. 

 

She had pouted for a minute before Ana and Charlie pulled her back into the sand and she thankfully seemed to forget about the disappointment. 

 

It had been a long couple hours, watching over and chasing around the young children, especially every time they headed into the water. 

 

When it was just less than an hour until they packed up and headed back to the house to continue the festivities, Emma and Neal took a step away, going for a light stroll along the shore. 

 

They were away for about fifteen minutes, grateful to have a little bit of a break before they were pulled into the hectic race of a young girl’s birthday party again. 

 

On their way back towards the group they paused a good distance away to just watch them all quietly. 

 

Mary and her friends had long since left the water and were now back in the sand, taking turns digging holes and burying each other with Henry still faithfully at their sides.

  
  


Snow and Charming sat on the blanket closest to the kids, Snow still holding onto Jake and endlessly and happily entertaining the one year old.

 

Beside the blanket, Belle and Rumplestiltskin sat in beach chairs set up under an umbrella. 

 

Rumplestiltskin watched over the children silently while Belle easily conversed with Ella and some of the other mothers who stayed for the party.

 

Emma and Neal both felt a sudden swell of warmth, and not just from the afternoon sun. 

 

The sight before them was their happy family...something they had both lost long ago and only hoped they would find again.

 

Neal squeezed Emma's hand that was wrapped in his own and drew her in closer to his side.

 

Her smile widened as she leaned into him. 

 

“You know what Emma…” He mused and she hummed, looking up at him.

 

His smile grew but he didn't take his eyes off the group. 

 

“I think we found Tallahassee.” He finished, his voice thick with emotion.

 

Emma’s stomach flipped, her heart stuttering as she looked back at her family. 

 

She leaned her head against his shoulder and squeezed his hand. “No...I think we found something better.” 

 

He finally glanced down at her, raising his brow inquisitively.

 

She grinned, her hazel eyes twinkling in joy and filled with such warmth and love.

 

All those many years ago, Tallahassee had meant home and a hope for a future together. 

 

Things had changed since then, they had changed and dreams had changed but all for the better.

 

They had a whole new life, a whole new future, a whole new home.

 

“We found Storybrooke.”

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, as you could tell, this story strayed pretty far from the canon of the show. And as far as I'm concerned, seeing how the show's canon is actually going what with Neal dead and Rumple and Belle's relationship basically irrecoverable... I needed to fix all of it. So I hope you enjoyed this story and hoped this tied up some loose ends that I left by trying to wrap up the story quicker than I had originally planned it out to be.


End file.
